Revolution for Re-Theorizing the Changing Perspectives of Prior Learning Assessment

There have been efforts in re-theorizing Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) to consider the changing perspectives of theories and practices, which Michelson (2012) insisted was not only necessary, but extremely past due. This presentation advances the theoretical and practical discussion of PLA in alternative modes and theories of education and learning. This is necessitated by the changes in critical theory since the inception of PLA in higher education and adult learning that according to Michelson “have undermined the clear distinction between theory and practice.

Stray Dog Strut from the Godzilla Invading series

Stray Dog Strut Digital Illustration, 120”x228”, 2010https://via.library.depaul.edu/oral_his_gallery/1255/thumbnail.jp

Of Guns and Grotius

Kellman discusses the breakthroughs in the development of explosive weapons since the 13th century. He then analyzes the evolution of theories on the international law of war as expounded by Grotius, Gentili, and Vatel. He argues that these scholars should have instead developed an international law of peace; he hypothesizes what the foundation of law would have looked like and presents a contemporary alternative vision to the law of war accordingly

Examination of the Impact of Team Sport Participation on Adolescent Male Mental Health: An Integrative Literature Review Proposal

Examination of the Impact of Team Sport Participation on Adolescent Male Mental Health: An Integrative Literature Review Proposal Alicia Foster Background: In 2018, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that depression impacts almost one in eight adolescents and young adults yearly. They further sited that the number of adolescents who experienced major depressive episodes increased nearly a third from 2005-2014. Also in 2018, the World Health Organization cited that suicide is the third largest cause of death in older adolescents, ages 15-19 years old. Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to evaluate the mental health benefits of team sport participation for adolescent males. Specifically, the research utilized will explore and determine if team sport participation during adolescents correlates positively with the reduction of depressive mood and suicidal ideation reports. Method: An integrative literature review design by Whittemore & Knafl (2005) was used to identify and organize data focused on the impact of team sport participation within the adolescent male population. Data was evaluated and analyzed following the Garrard (2016) matrix method. A total of seven research studies were analyzed and examined from the years 2008 to 2018. Results: Landmark and two prominent themes were found surrounding the current research results of the impact on sport participation on adolescent male mental health. Landmark qualitative study evaluated basketball as an intervention for psycho-social therapy in a psychiatric hospital setting. The researchers found that programs intervention benefited the participants by learning how to cope and communicate regarding frustration, increased skills in how to work as a team, and increased self-perception of others viewing them as individuals versus their diagnosis. Major limitation of the study was the lack of trustworthiness and the subjective views of the team leaders’ perceptions. The first theme: Power of Socialization was found to be the outcome of the intervention of participation through team sports between peers. Sports promotes socialization which is an influencing contributor to positive mental health. The participants who participated at a higher frequency (HFP) had significantly lower means compared to participants who participated at a lower frequency (LFPs) on the Youth Self Report (YSR) problem sub scale which focused on Anxious/Depressed Problems. HFP mean (M=4.84, SD= 4.26) was significantly lower that the LFP mean (M=7.66, SD=6.87), t(38)=2.03, p\u3c.05). The second theme was Preventative Nature of Team Sports. Secondary adolescent school sport program study found that later in early adulthood there was a mitigation of depressive symptom development (lower depressive symptoms (p \u3c 0.001), , decreased perceived stress (p\u3c0.001), and increased self-rated mental health status ( p \u3c0 .001). Limitations: Broad nature of sport application does not delineate the variables and structure nuances that may be unique and may benefit different populations, personalities, depression levels, and genders. This ILR only reviewed male focused studies of adolescent age group. Conclusions: The literature provided clarity to the research question while still identifying many gaps in the available research and suggestions for future studies by the following analysis and synthesis of 2 qualitative studies in this IRL. The analysis and synthesis of these studies was completed through utilization of the Cognitive-Perceptual Factors of Pender’s Health Promotion Model. Through these studies it is illustrated that the benefits of sport on the mental health of adolescent males falls on a broad spectrum. Through the physical challenge’s adolescents learn to overcome adversity, persevere, and control their emotions and cope with feelings of frustration and defeat. At the same time, these adolescents are benefiting from the social aspects of developing self-confidence, increasing self-awareness, and learning to communicate and utilize the support systems set up around them. Future Research Recommendations: Triangulation pilot study of adolescent males to early adulthood with team sport of basketball where measurements are established for depression evaluation with protocol develop for possible interventions for untoward outcomes. Qualitative study should be conducted by nursing researchers established with experience and skills in this area of expertise. Trustworthiness not in the conducting of the qualitative study but also in the data collection and gathering should have the goal of eliminating subjective bias that had occurred in one of the ILR studies. Another area to research would be the female gender adolescent individuals. Key Words: mental health, adolescents, sports, team sports, exercise, males, depression, suicide, intervention, and treatment

The Historic and Modern Doctrines of Equivalents and Claiming the Future: Part I (1790-1870)

From its beginning, American patent law has extended patent protection beyond the explicitly disclosed examples of an invention described in a patent specification, applying patents to some range of equivalent substituted technologies. From the middle of the 19th Century until 1950, the Supreme Court was careful to limit this historic doctrine of equivalents to products or processes that physically embody the construed language of a patent\u27s claims. In Graver Tank & Manufacturing Co. v. Linde Air Products Co., 339 U.S. 605 (1950), the Supreme Court radically altered the nature of the doctrine of equivalents, expanding patent protection beyond the scope of application of construed claim language in order to protect the value of patents from alleged fraud. In Warner-Jenkinson Co. v. Hilton Davis Chemical Co., 520 U.S. 17 (1997), and Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 535 U.S. 722 (2002), the Supreme Court extended patent protection under this modern doctrine to later-arising technologies not contemplated by the inventor. As discussed in Part I of this article - forthcoming in the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society - the Supreme Court in 1853 stated that patent protection was limited to the scope of application of construed claim language. In the 1870 Patent Act, Congress codified a distinct claiming requirement that should have foreclosed the modern doctrine of equivalents. As discussed in Part II - also forthcoming in the Journal of the Patent and Trademark Office Society - until Graver Tank, the Supreme Court consistently limited the doctrine of equivalents under the 1870 Patent Act to the scope of application of construed claim language. In the 1952 Patent Act, Congress neither codified nor impliedly ratified the modern doctrine of equivalents, and did not extend it to later-arising technologies. This article is the second in a series of articles relating to the doctrine of equivalents. These articles seek to encourage and to set the context for future discussions of abolishing the modern doctrine of equivalents and of claiming later-arising technologies. The first article, to be published in the Federal Circuit Bar Journal, describes conflicts among the modern doctrine and prosecution history estoppel and additional implied disclaimer and claim scope doctrines. It explains how the modern doctrine improperly extends patent protection to equivalents that could not validly be claimed. The third article, to be published in the Berkeley Technology Law Journal discusses the lack of theoretical justification for, social costs of, and complexity created by the modern doctrine. It argues that the historic doctrine of equivalents should be restored and that additional limits on claiming later-arising technologies may be needed to promote progress