The effects of scripted instruction on proper foot plant during A -Skip in a practice high school track and field setting

Track and field is a sport that thrives on technique correction for skill acquisition (Mero, Komi and Gregor, 1992). Research in terms of approaches to improving skill acquisition and technique correction in novice high school track and field sprinters has been limited. Although recent efforts to improve skill acquisition in track and field have been effective (Hanin, Korjus, Jouste & Baxter, 2002 & Shestakov, Arakelian & Primakov, 2000), there does not appear to be any studies utilizing Gangstead and Beveridge\u27s (1984) explicit instruction model as a way to improve skill acquisition for novice high school track and field sprinters. Explicit instruction in the academic setting has already been shown to be highly effective for increasing academic performance for novice learners (Adams & Engelmann, 1996). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Gangstead and Beveridge\u27s (1984) scripted instruction model on acquisition of correct foot strike placement during the A-Skip drill in a high school practice track and field setting; A multiple baseline A-B design across participants was utilized to conduct the study. Four high school sprinters were selected to receive the explicit instruction, while one sprinter served as the control and did not receive the intervention. The two coaches selected for the study were the ones who implemented the explicit instruction to the sprinters. It was hypothesized that sprinters using Gangstead & Beveridge\u27s (1984) explicit instruction model would increase their number of correct trials of foot strike placement during the A-Skip drills and be satisfied with the goals, procedures and outcomes of the study. Results of the study indicated that the sprinters increased the number of correct foot plants during the A-Skip drill with use of the intervention. Analyses of results were conducted in accordance with single subject research guidelines, which include evaluating both magnitude and trends of data collected on a graph (Barlow and Hersen, 1984). Further research using explicit instruction in different events within a sport or different athletic settings is recommended in order to examine generalization effects

Corporate image and the police service: an examination of Durham constabulary

The concept of corporate image has only relatively recently moved from the pages of design magazines to managerial, cultural and organisational texts. The purpose of this research and subsequent thesis is to make a contribution to the knowledge of the concept of corporate image and in particular to establish any relevance to the arguably unique context of the police service. A review of literature identified that there had been little, if any, academic research on corporate image; although some work of a descriptive and commercial nature was available on the design perspective of the subject. Furthermore, the impact or influence of corporate culture on the corporate image projected by organisations had not been explored. The methodology of focus group research, using psychological predictive techniques, enabled a holistic, exploratory approach which was necessary due to the lack of theoretical underpinning of corporate image and the apparent interdisciplinary nature of the concept. The research establishes links between culture and the formation of corporate image. It then looks specifically at the culture of Durham Constabulary and its effect on the corporate image of the organisation. The thesis shows that corporate image uses old concepts with new terminology. The term does, however, offer advantages in facilitating the management of several key influences on organisational effectiveness. Finally, it is argued that a corporate image programme could have importance for Durham Constabulary

The Doctrine of Revelation In African Christian Theology

This thesis addresses the doctrine of revelation as it relates to the field of African Christian theology. Given the need for contextual theologies, it examines both general and special revelation as these doctrines have been understood and applied by a variety of African theologians. Specific areas of application include the use of the Bible and the attitude toward African traditional religions

The random component of mixer-based nonlinear vector network analyzer measurement uncertainty

The uncertainty, due to random noise, of the measurements made with a mixer-based nonlinear vector network analyzer are analyzed. An approximate covariance matrix corresponding to the measurements is derived that can be used for fitting models and maximizing the dynamic range in the measurement setup. The validity of the approximation is verified with measurements

Noise considerations when determining phase of large-signal microwave measurements

Advances in microwave instrumentation now make it feasible to accurately measure not only the magnitude spectrum, but also the phase spectrum of wide-bandwidth signals. In a practical measurement, the spectrum is measured over a finite window of time. The phase spectrum is related to the position of this window, causing the spectrum to differ between measurements of an identical waveform. It is difficult to compare multiple measurements with different window positions or to incorporate them into a model. Several methods have been proposed for determining the phase spectrum such that multiple measurements can be effectively compared and utilized in models. The methods are reviewed in terms of the information required to determine the phase and compared in terms of their robustness in the presence of measurement noise

An interventionist study of computer application by CDT teachers in Oxfordshire

This research attempted to clarify and intervene in the situation with regard to the use of microcomputers in Oxfordshire schools' craft Design and Technology departments. It initially investigated and established the December 1986 position of computer use by CDT teachers within Oxfordshire LEA. [Continues.

A Conversation With Alan Parker

On the evening of February 28, Alan Parker, director, writer, and producer, met with students at Columbia College and discussed his film Mississippi Burning and his experience in the field. The discussion was moderated by Anthony Loeb, chair of the Film and Video Department. Interview photographers: G. Joseph Guichard, Charles Celander. Film Still courtesy of Scott E. Marks. 31 pages.https://digitalcommons.colum.edu/conversations/1007/thumbnail.jp

Excited state studies of pyramidine bases and radiosensitizing drugs by laser flash photolysis

The mechanism whereby radiosensitizing drugs act in the radio- therapeutic treatment of cancer is yet to be fully elucidated. The prevailing current view (the so-called charge sequestration model) is that cancer cell death is initiated by charge separation induced by the ionising radiation, yielding radical anions (of thymine) and cations (of guanine) in the DNA polymer chain. The radiosensitizer, by virtue of its electron-affinic properties, removes the electron from the (thymine) radical anion, thereby preventing charge recombination and allowing the radical cation to 'fix' the damage via Secondary reactions. To date, most efforts to verify this model have involved the observation of various DNA radical ions by electron spin resonance and pulse radiolysis techniques. However, excited states of DNA or the drug, as well as radical ions, may be involved in the sensitizing action, and there have been a variety of laser flash photolysis studies of reaction between the excited radiosensitizer and ground state nucleic acid bases. The main body of this thesis (Chapter 3) has been to determine, using 249 nm laser flash photolysis, whether reaction in solution occurs between triplet excited nucleic acid bases (in particular thymine and uracil) and (ground state) radiosensitizing drugs. (Such a study has only recently been made feasible by the development of powerful ultraviolet pulsed lasers which are able to produce measurable concentrations of these triplet states in solution; even so, monitoring systems are extended to their limits of detection.) The triplet states of thymine and uracil (in acetonitrile) were quenched by a variety of electron acceptor molecules, including radiosensitizing drugs. The quenching kinetics correlated with the electron affinities of the electron acceptors according to the Weller equation for excited state electron transfer. This constitutes positive evidence that triplet DNA bases can produce the radical cations which are presumed to lead to cell death. Further, in certain cases, the radical anions of the acceptors were observed optically and their yields measured. In Chapter 4 are presented studies of the triplet states of two radiosensitizing drugs, metronidazole and misonidazole (principally by laser flash photolysis), including measurements of their triplet energies. The reduction potentials of these drugs (in acetonitrile) were determined by three methods, which gave comparable results. Attempts were made to develop a fluorescent probe which could be used to measure intracellular concentrations of radiosensitizing drugs. In Chapter 5, the efficient quenching of both excited uranyl ion and triplet benzophenone by nucleic acid bases is detailed. From the results it is concluded that for uranyl ion, the mode of quenching is by an exciplex or reversible charge transfer mechanism, while for triplet benzophenone, chemical quenching occurs. The appendices are mainly concerned with various computer-based techniques developed for this study. An original method is described for analysing oscilloscope transient decays by photographing the oscilloscope screen using a video camera and transferring and digitising the resulting image into a micracomputer screen ram area, where it is manipulated to yield the transient decay constant. Also given is a computer program developed to enable optimum fitting of quenching data to the Weller equation, when the donor oxidation potential is unknown. Finally, evidence for the triplet state of 5-nitroindole is reported. A part of this work has been published, viz. "Electron-transfer Quenching of Triplet State Thymine and Uracil", T.J. Kemp, A.W. Parker, and P. Hardman, J. Chem. Soc, Chem. Commun., 1985, 1377

The effects of diet preference on feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance of sheep given Iseilema spp. (Flinders grass) hay and/or Desmanthus leptophyllus cv JCU 1 Ad libitum

Eighteen male Merino sheep (34.83 ± 2.73 kg) were used in this experiment with a completely randomised block design to evaluate the effects of diet preference on feed intake, apparent digestibility and nitrogen balance. The sheep were fed ad libitum one of three experimental diets: Flinders grass hay (F); freshly cut Desmanthus leptophyllus (D) and a choice of Flinders grass hay and fresh cut D. leptophyllus (D+F). The results showed that sheep had a 70% preference for D and had a 30% preference for F when they were provided the D+F diet. The highest dry matter intake (DMI) and organic matter intake (OMI) (P < 0.05) were recorded for the D+F diet compared with the other two diets. The dry matter digestibility (DMD), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and nitrogen digestibility did not differ between the D and the D+F diet, but these values were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the F diet. Sheep fed either the D or the D+F diet gave rise to positive nitrogen balance, while the F diet was in negative nitrogen balance. Both D and D+F diets had greater (P < 0.05) efficiency of nitrogen retention in comparison with the F diet. Lower nutrition utilisation of the F diet was relative to loss of sheep liveweight, whereas sheep given either D or D+F diet slightly increased their liveweight. It is suggested that in the semi-arid sheep country, diet quality and animal production could be enhanced by utilisation Desmanthus spp. during the dry season