Enterprise Education Competitions: A Theoretically Flawed Intervention?

The demand for including enterprise in the education system, at all levels and for all pupils is now a global phenomenon. Within this context, the use of competitions and competitive learning activities is presented as a popular and effective vehicle for learning. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate how a realist method of enquiry – which utilises theory as the unit of analysis – can shed new light on the assumed and unintended outcomes of enterprise education competitions. The case developed here is that there are inherent flaws in assuming that competitions will ‘work’ in the ways set out in policy and guidance. Some of the most prevalent stated outcomes – that competitions will motivate and reward young people, that they will enable the development of entrepreneurial skills, and that learners will be inspired by their peers – are challenged by theory from psychology and education. The issue at stake is that the expansion of enterprise education policy into primary and secondary education increases the likelihood that more learners will be sheep dipped in competitions, and competitive activities, without a clear recognition of the potential unintended effects. In this chapter, we employ a realist-informed approach to critically evaluate the theoretical basis that underpins the use of competitions and competitive learning activities in school-based enterprise education. We believe that our findings and subsequent recommendations will provide those who promote and practice the use of competitions with a richer, more sophisticated picture of the potential flaws within such activities.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

The effect of pre-shot routines on golf wedge shot performance

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of pre-performance routines among golfers of low skill and non-golfers on wedge golf shot performance. The intervention strategies involved a physical skill and cognitive-behavioral routine program, as well as a physical skills-only program. Performance was measured on a pre-intervention test, postintervention test, and following a period of time without treatment, and involved wedge shots being played from distances of 40, 50, and 60 m from a target. Participants in this study (N = 68) were assigned to either a golfer or non-golfer group. Participants in the treatment groups attended 2 practice sessions per week during the acquisition phase. A variable practice design was incorporated during the intervention phase. Non-golfers in both intervention groups improved performance following the acquisition phase and maintained these levels of performance in the retention test. Greater improvements in performance were found in the non-golfer physical skills and cognitive-behavioral routine group. The non-golfer physical skills and cognitive-behavioral routine group was the only group to realize significant improvements in performance when comparing initial test performance measures to post-intervention and retention test performance measures across all test distances. Although the golfer treatment groups had consistent improvement in performance measures following the intervention phase, these improvements did not reach statistical significance in the majority of cases

Positive youth development in swimming: clarification and consensus of key psychosocial assets

The purpose of this study was to gain a more cohesive understanding of the assets considered necessary to develop in young swimmers to ensure both individual and sport specific development. This two stage study involved (a) a content analysis of key papers to develop a list of both psychosocial skills for performance enhancement and assets associated with positive youth development, and (b) in-depth interviews involving ten expert swim coaches, practitioners and youth sport scholars. Five higher order categories containing seventeen individual assets emerged. These results are discussed in relation to both existing models of positive youth development and implications for coaches, practitioners and parents when considering the psychosocial development of young British swimmers

A qualitative exploration of men's experiences of an integrated exercise/CBT mental health promotion programme

This study investigated qualitatively the experiences of men who took part in a 10 week integrated exercise/psychosocial mental health promotion programme, "Back of the Net" (BTN). 15 participants who completed the BTN programme were recruited to participate in either a focus group discussion (N = 9) or individual interview (N = 6). A thematic analytic approach was employed to identify key themes in the data. Results indicated that participants felt that football was a positive means of engaging men in a mental health promotion program. Perceived benefits experienced included perceptions of mastery, social support, positive affect and changes in daily behaviour. The findings support the value of developing gender specific mental health interventions to both access and engage young men. © 2012 by the Men's Studies Press

Virtuelles Schweißen - wie sich mit virtueller Realität die technische Ausbildung von Schweißern verbessern lässt

Seit vielen Jahrzehnten beschäftigt sich die Schweißtechnische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt Halle GmbH (SLV Halle GmbH) mit der Ausbildung von Schweißern. Diese fand in der Vergangenheit in nahezu unveränderter Weise unter intensiver Anleitung erfahrener Lehrer in der Schweißkabine statt. Der Aufwand an Verbrauchsmaterial und Energie war jedoch sehr hoch. Um Abhilfe zu schaffen, hat das Unternehmen einen computerbasierten Schweißtrainer entwickelt. Mit ihm üben die Lehrlinge ihre ersten Ausbildungsschritte effizient und vor allem materialschonend, unter anderem auch mit Hilfe virtuell-interaktiver Schulungsszenarien

Erprobungs- und Beratungszentrum (EBZ) Lasertechnik in Sachsen-Anhalt/Sachsen (SAS). Teilvorhaben: EBZ SLV Halle GmbH

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F03B859+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung, Berlin (Germany)DEGerman

Errichtung eines Erprobungs- und Beratungszentrums fuer die Materialbearbeitung mittels Laserstrahlen fuer die Region Halle - Magdeburg -Leipzig an der SLV Halle GmbH (EBZ Sachsen-Anhalt/Sachsen) Abschlussbericht

A centre for testing and consultation (EBZ) for laser technologies in the region Halle - Magdeburg - Leipzig (EBZ Saxonia-Anhalt/Saxonia) was created at the SLV Halle Ltd. on the basis of support named 'LASER 2000' by the Federal Ministry for Education, Development and Technology (BMBF). The partner of the EBZ Saxonia-Anhalt/Saxonia have done more than 400 consultations or testing (in all 436) for material treatment by laser beam for small and medium business and craft during the last three years. The mechanical engineering was most (30%) interested in the offered possibilities of the project. 50% of firms that looked for a consultation belongs to craft. More than the half of firms that got a consultation from partner of the EBZ Saxonia/Anhalt/Saxonia use laser technique to solve their problems due to a consultation or testing. So they can guarantee success for their firm by using of technological leading products. A lot of laser applications that follow from the consultation and testing was handed over to laser job shops or the firms have purchased laser equipment (about 30 are known) or the plan laser equipment. A lot of information and training events (over 70), the presence on regional and national trade fairs as well as publications complete the activities of EBZ laser technique Saxonia-Anhalt/Saxonia. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F00B632+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Erprobungs- und Beratungszentren (EBZ) Lasertechnik Sachsen-Anhalt/Sachsen (SAS). Teilvorhaben: Verbundkoordination Schlussbericht

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F03B823 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung, Berlin (Germany); VDI-Technologiezentrum Physikalische Technologien, Duesseldorf (Germany)DEGerman

Praezisionsbearbeitung mit Festkoerperlasern (Fuegen). Laserstrahl-Hartloeten mittels Nd:YAG-Laser

Available from TIB Hannover: F96B1181 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Bildung, Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technologie, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman