A study of current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools in physical education

The purpose of this study was to investigate current practice in liaison between primary and secondary schools to promote continuity and progression in physical education during the transfer of pupils from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 and to identify constraints to engaging in liaison activities. A questionnaire was completed by the head of the physical education department in secondary schools in five local education authorities in England that received pupils from primary schools in year 7 (n = 80) and by the physical education coordinator of the primary feeder schools of those secondary schools that responded to the questionnaire (n = 299). Results showed that 32 (43.8%) secondary teachers and 157 (53.4%) primary teachers identified that they had established contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively; and 49 (64.5%) secondary teachers but 114 (39.6%) primary teachers identified that currently they were engaged in liaison activities. There was a discrepancy between the percentages of teachers who indicated they had contacts with their primary feeder schools or associated secondary schools respectively, and who indicated they were engaged in liaison activities with them. These results suggested that contacts with and/or engagement in liaison activities between primary and secondary schools were not consistent across schools. A range of constraints for developing effective contacts/liaison activities were identified, with time being identified as the major constraint by both primary and secondary teachers. A range of suggestions for overcoming the constraints were also identified. These results are discussed in relation to findings from studies looking at liaison in other subjects and also in relation to the implications for schools

Exchange of information about physical education to support the transition of pupils from primary and secondary school

The purpose of this study was to identify how information about physical education is exchanged between secondary schools and their respective feeder primary schools, what information is exchanged and how this information is used. A secondary purpose was to look at whether there is any relationship between schools engaging in liaison activities and exchanging information about physical education, and between exchanging information and the number of associated secondary schools to which pupils are sent or feeder primary schools from which pupils are received. Questionnaires were sent to 177 secondary and 538 feeder primary schools. Responses from 80 secondary schools and 299 primary schools showed that the highest percentage of teachers exchanged information through written documentation, followed by discussion at cross phase liaison meetings. The type of information exchanged by the highest percentage of teachers was identified as generic information about key stage 2 and 3 of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) areas of activity and schemes of work, rather than information about the specific physical education content covered or information about individual pupils, such as levels of attainment or ability. Further, results suggest that information may be used for pastoral purposes and that only a small percentage of teachers used the information exchanged to plan for continuity and progression in the physical education curriculum. There was a significant positive relationship between engagement in liaison activities and information received about the physical education curriculum followed by pupils, but a significant negative relationship for primary teachers between the number of different secondary schools to which pupils' progress and knowledge about the key stage 3 schemes of work that Year 6 pupils will follow in their associated secondary schools. These results are discussed in relation to continuity and progression in physical education in the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools

The transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school: A case study of a foundation subject - physical education

A series of transitions, from class to class, year to year and school to school, are integral to the education system in England. The transfer of pupils from primary to secondary education is an important stage of transition. Models for managing this transfer highlight different aspects of the experience, including social/pastoral integration and curriculum continuity and progression of individual pupils. The purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school in relation to physical education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 secondary school physical education heads of department. Results showed that although all of the heads of department reported the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school to be very important in relation to physical education, this was not translated into practice. There was limited involvement in activities supporting the transfer from primary to secondary school, and what involvement there was placed greater emphasis on activities to support social/pastoral integration than to support continuity and progression of individual pupils during transfer. Some possible reasons for these results are considered, along with some suggestions for further research

Contrasting the beam interaction characteristics of selected lasers with a partially stabilised zirconia (PSZ) bio-ceramic

Differences in the beam interaction characteristics of a CO2 laser, a Nd:YAG laser, a high power diode laser (HPDL) and an excimer laser with a partially stabilised zirconia (PSZ) bio-ceramic have been studied. A derivative of Beer-Lambert’s law was applied and the laser beam absorption lengths of the four lasers were calculated as 33.55 x 10-3 cm for the CO2 laser, 18.22 x 10-3 cm for the Nd:YAG laser, 17.17 x 10-3 cm for the HPDL and 8.41 x 10-6 cm for the excimer laser. It was determined graphically that the fluence threshold values at which significant material removal was effected by the CO2 laser, the Nd:YAG laser, the HPDL and the excimer laser were 52 J/cm2, 97 J/cm2, 115 J/cm2 and 0.48 J/cm2 respectively. The thermal loading value for the CO2 laser, the Nd:YAG laser, the HPDL and the excimer laser were calculated as being 1.55 kJ/cm3, 5.32 kJ/cm3, 6.69 kJ/cm3 and 57.04 kJ/cm3 respectively

Statistical Understanding of Quark and Lepton Masses in Gaussian Landscapes

The fundamental theory of nature may allow a large landscape of vacua. Even if the theory contains a unified gauge symmetry, the 22 flavor parameters of the Standard Model, including neutrino masses, may be largely determined by the statistics of this landscape, and not by any symmetry. Then the measured values of the flavor parameters do not lead to any fundamental symmetries, but are statistical accidents; their precise values do not provide any insights into the fundamental theory, rather the overall pattern of flavor reflects the underlying landscape. We investigate whether random selection from the statistics of a simple landscape can explain the broad patterns of quark, charged lepton, and neutrino masses and mixings. We propose Gaussian landscapes as simplified models of landscapes where Yukawa couplings result from overlap integrals of zero-mode wavefunctions in higher-dimensional supersymmetric gauge theories. In terms of just five free parameters, such landscapes can account for all gross features of flavor, including: the hierarchy of quark and charged lepton masses; small quark mixing angles, with 13 mixing less than 12 and 23 mixing; very light Majorana neutrino masses, with the solar to atmospheric neutrino mass ratio consistent with data; distributions for leptonic 12 and 23 mixings that are peaked at large values, while the distribution for 13 mixing is peaked at low values; and order unity CP violating phases in both the quark and lepton sectors. While the statistical distributions for flavor parameters are broad, the distributions are robust to changes in the geometry of the extra dimensions. Constraining the distributions by loose cuts about observed values leads to narrower distributions for neutrino measurements of 13 mixing, CP violation, and neutrinoless double beta decay.Comment: 86 pages, 26 figures, 2 tables, and table of content

Neutrino mixing and mass hierarchy in Gaussian landscapes

The flavor structure of the Standard Model may arise from random selection on a landscape. In a class of simple models, called "Gaussian landscapes," Yukawa couplings derive from overlap integrals of Gaussian zero-mode wavefunctions on an extra-dimensional space. Statistics of vacua are generated by scanning the peak positions of these wavefunctions, giving probability distributions for all flavor observables. Gaussian landscapes can account for all of the major features of flavor, including both the small electroweak mixing in the quark sector and the large mixing observed in the lepton sector. We find that large lepton mixing stems directly from lepton doublets having broad wavefunctions on the internal manifold. Assuming the seesaw mechanism, we find the mass hierarchy among neutrinos is sensitive to the number of right-handed neutrinos, and can provide a good fit to neutrino oscillation measurements.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Quark and Lepton Masses from Gaussian Landscapes

The flavor structure of the standard model (SM) might arise from random selection on a landscape. We propose a class of simple models, “Gaussian landscapes,” where Yukawa couplings derive from overlap integrals of Gaussian wave functions on extra-dimensions. Statistics of vacua are generated by scanning the peak positions of these zero-modes, giving probability distributions for all flavor observables. Gaussian landscapes can account for all observed flavor patterns with few free parameters. Although they give broad probability distributions, the predictions are correlated and accounting for measured parameters sharpens the distributions of future neutrino measurements

Public knowledge about polar regions increases while concerns remain unchanged

The authors of this brief conduct the first comparative analysis of the polar questions that were part of the National Opinion Research Center\u27s 2006 and 2010 General Social Survey. Developed by scientists at the National Science Foundation\u27s Office of Polar Programs, these questions covered topics such as climate change, melting ice and rising sea levels, and species extinction. The authors report that the public\u27s knowledge about the north and south polar regions significantly improved between 2006 and 2010--before and after the International Polar Year. In addition, respondents who know more about science in general, and polar facts specifically, tend to be more concerned about polar changes. More knowledgeable respondents also tend to favor reserving the Antarctic for science, rather than opening it for commercial development

The development and characteristics of a hand-held high power diode laser-based industrial tile grout removal and single-stage sealing system

As the field of laser materials processing becomes ever more diverse, the high power diode laser (HPDL) is now being regarded by many as the most applicable tool. The commercialisation of an industrial epoxy grout removal and single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process is examined through the development of a hand-held HPDL device in this work. Further, an appraisal of the potential hazards associated with the use of the HPDL in an industrial environment and the solutions implemented to ensure that the system complies with the relevant safety standards are given. The paper describes the characteristics and feasibility of the industrial epoxy grout removal process. A minimum power density of approximately 3 kW/cm2 was found to exist, whilst the minimum interaction time, below which there was no removal of epoxy tile grout, was found to be approximately 0.5 s. The maximum theoretical removal rate that may be achievable was calculated as being 65.98 mm2/s for a circular 2 mm diameter beam with a power density of 3 kW/cm2 and a traverse speed of 42 mm/s. In addition, the characteristics of the single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing are outlined. The single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process yielded crack and porosity free seals which were produced in normal atmospheric conditions. Tiles were successfully sealed with power densities as low as 550 W/cm2 and at rates of up to 420 mm/min. In terms of mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics, the single-stage ceramic tile grout was found to be far superior to the conventional epoxy tile grout and, in many instances, matched and occasionally surpassed that of the ceramic tiles themselves

Differential responses to forest edges among populations of Oophaga pumilio (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from Panama

Differential responses to forest edges among populations of Oophaga pumilio (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from Panama. As habitat fragmentation increasingly becomes a prevalent feature in tropical systems, investigating how such novel features affect the distribution of species is of vital importance for understanding species’ ecology and conservation concerns. Species that show interpopulation variation in features that may affect their ecology (i.e., coloration) should be of high priority for elucidating the effects fragmentation may have. It is possible that these features unique to certain populations could promote or constrain the population’s ability to adapt to change. I investigated nine populations of the Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio) throughout the Bocas del Toro archipelago in Panama. By running transects from forest edge into interior forest, I assessed both population density and individual distance from forest edge for each population. One population was signifcantly denser than six of the other eight populations. Three populations showed increased numbers farther from forest edges while six populations showed no variation. This research highlights how reactions to habitat fragmentation may be population specifc, possibly linked to physical traits of individuals within the population. This research suggests that high interpopulation variation should be taken into account when examining species’ reactions to environmental perturbations.Respostas diferenciais às bordas de foresta entre populações de Oophaga pumilio (Anura: Dendrobatidae) do Panamá. A medida que a fragmentação torna-se uma característica prevalecente nos sistemas tropicaisl, investigar como essas novas características afetam a distribuição das espécies é de vital importância para entender a ecologia e a conservação das espécies. Espécies que apresentam variação interpopulacional em caraterísticas que podem afetar sua ecologia (por exemplo, coloração) deveriam ter alta prioridade para elucidar os efeitos da fragmentação. É possível que essas características exclusivas de certas populações possam promover ou impor restrições à capacidade de a população adaptar-se ou transformar-se. Investiguei nove populações do dendrobatídeo Oophaga pumilio ao longo do Arquipélago de Bocas del Toro, no Panamá. Percorrendo transeptos da borda para o interior da foresta, avaliei, para cada população, a densidade e a distância dos indivíduos desde a borda. Uma das populações mostrou densidade signifcativamente maior que seis das outras oito populações. Três populações mostraram maior número de indivíduos a maiores distâncias da borda, enquanto seis populações não mostraram variação. Esta pesquisa ilustra como as reações à fragmentação do hábitat podem ser específcas de populações, possivelmente em associação com características físicas dos indivíduos que as compõem. Os resultados sugerem que altas variações interpopulacionais deveriam ser levadas em conta no exame das reações das espécies às perturbações ambientais