Feeling the squeeze? Tabbies or tigers: the case of social enterprises contracting in the fields of recycling and work integration

Current UK policy is encouraging the identification, emergence, transmutation or invention of third sector organisations that will have a social enterprise orientation with a particular focus on them as vehicles for the delivery of public services (Audit Commission 2005). This can be seen as part of the new governance agenda (Taylor, Wilkinson and Craig 2001, Kendal 2003, Stoker 2004) the form of which is still emergent. One view of governance refers to a 'hollowing out' of state powers (Rhodes, 1997) and a shift from state control to co-ordination using mechanisms such as networks and partnerships to bring together the public, private and third sector as well as community actors and citizens in reforming services. Local Authority white paper (2006) promised further decentralisation moving functions downwards to special purpose bodies and outwards to agencies and communities. The new Local Government White Paper emphasises the role of community engagement, partnership arrangements and devolved budgets with voluntary organisations at the local level (NCVO 2006: 2-3). Such processes are aimed both at both private and third sector providers. In this new distributed system of governance partnership and collaboration plays an important role in the implementation of social goods although these processes are never unproblematic (Huxham & Vangen 2000; Taylor Taylor, Wilkinson and Craig 2001). Nevertheless the contracting out processes continue to gather speed: with recycling and waste, care, leisure services, work advice, health services, prison and probation at various stages in the continuum of change. Against this background the role and form of social enterprise organisations appears at times to be assumed to be 'heterogeneous' and 'good' with all organisations tending towards similar development trajectories with uniform support needs. What is often not distinguished so clearly are the differing types of social enterprise; the different sub-sectors of the economy they are operating in; the variety of markets and funding regimes they are involved in; the different partnership regimes they are embedded within; and their different cultures and connection to local communities. All of these factors have implications for what types of organisations (large/small social enterprise; local/national organisations, and even social enterprise or private organisation) are favoured in the contracting processes and how such processes may affect their wider mission and ethos. Social enterprises are sometimes treated by policy makers, and at times by leaders, practitioners and researchers within the sector as if they were one thing. Crudely we might say they are treated as if they are all cats when in reality some are tigers and some are tabbys – with every breed in between. Nevertheless, despite the heterogeneity of the social enterprise scene we are seeing evidence of a convergence of form in contracting processes which, we argue, tends to favour the tigers and squeeze the tabbys. This paper reports on recent empirical research and analysis in 2 sub fields of social enterprise activity: (a) the delivery of waste and recycling services (Slater 2006) and (b) the delivery of work integration and advice activities for the disadvantaged (Aiken 2006, 2007)

Methods for Analyzing Pathways through a Physics Major

Physics Education Research frequently investigates what students studying physics do on small time scales (e.g. single courses, observations within single courses), or post-education time scales (e.g., what jobs do physics majors get?) but there is little research into how students get from the beginning to the end of a physics degree. Our work attempts to visualize students paths through the physics major, and quantitatively describe the students who take physics courses, receive physics degrees, and change degree paths into and out of the physics program at Michigan State University.Comment: submitted to Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings 201

Piloted simulation of one-on-one helicopter air combat at NOE flight levels

A piloted simulation designed to examine the effects of terrain proximity and control system design on helicopter performance during one-on-one air combat maneuvering (ACM) is discussed. The NASA Ames vertical motion simulator (VMS) and the computer generated imagery (CGI) systems were modified to allow two aircraft to be independently piloted on a single CGI data base. Engagements were begun with the blue aircraft already in a tail-chase position behind the red, and also with the two aircraft originating from positions unknown to each other. Maneuvering was very aggressive and safety requirements for minimum altitude, separation, and maximum bank angles typical of flight test were not used. Results indicate that the presence of terrain features adds an order of complexiaty to the task performed over clear air ACM and that mix of attitude and rate command-type stability and control augmentation system (SCAS) design may be desirable. The simulation system design, the flight paths flown, and the tactics used were compared favorably by the evaluation pilots to actual flight test experiments

Modeling student pathways in a physics bachelor's degree program

Physics education research has used quantitative modeling techniques to explore learning, affect, and other aspects of physics education. However, these studies have rarely examined the predictive output of the models, instead focusing on the inferences or causal relationships observed in various data sets. This research introduces a modern predictive modeling approach to the PER community using transcript data for students declaring physics majors at Michigan State University (MSU). Using a machine learning model, this analysis demonstrates that students who switch from a physics degree program to an engineering degree program do not take the third semester course in thermodynamics and modern physics, and may take engineering courses while registered as a physics major. Performance in introductory physics and calculus courses, measured by grade as well as a students' declared gender and ethnicity play a much smaller role relative to the other features included the model. These results are used to compare traditional statistical analysis to a more modern modeling approach.Comment: submitted to Physical Review Physics Education Researc

Examining the relationship between student performance and video interactions

In this work, we attempted to predict student performance on a suite of laboratory assessments using students' interactions with associated instructional videos. The students' performance is measured by a graded presentation for each of four laboratory presentations in an introductory mechanics course. Each lab assessment was associated with between one and three videos of instructional content. Using video clickstream data, we define summary features (number of pauses, seeks) and contextual information (fraction of time played, in-semester order). These features serve as inputs to a logistic regression (LR) model that aims to predict student performance on the laboratory assessments. Our findings show that LR models are unable to predict student performance. Adding contextual information did not change the model performance. We compare our findings to findings from other studies and explore caveats to the null-result such as representation of the features, the possibility of underfitting, and the complexity of the assessment.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, submitted to the PERC 2018 proceeding

Acoustic characteristics of a large scale wind-tunnel model of a jet flap aircraft

The expanding-duct jet flap (EJF) concept is studied to determine STOL performance in turbofan-powered aircraft. The EJF is used to solve the problem of ducting the required volume of air into the wing by providing an expanding cavity between the upper and lower surfaces of the flap. The results are presented of an investigation of the acoustic characteristics of the EJF concept on a large-scale aircraft model powered by JT15D engines. The noise of the EJF is generated by acoustic dipoles as shown by the sixth power dependence of the noise on jet velocity. These sources result from the interaction of the flow turbulence with flap of internal and external surfaces and the trailing edges. Increasing the trailing edge jet from 70 percent span to 100 percent span increased the noise 2 db for the equivalent nozzle area. Blowing at the knee of the flap rather than the trailing edge reduced the noise 5 to 10 db by displacing the jet from the trailing edge and providing shielding from high-frequency noise. Deflecting the flap and varying the angle of attack modified the directivity of the underwing noise but did not affect the peak noise. A forward speed of 33.5 m/sec (110 ft/sec) reduced the dipole noise less than 1 db

Aerodynamic characteristics of a large-scale semispan model with a swept wing and an augmented jet flap with hypermixing nozzles

The aerodynamic characteristics of the augmentor wing concept with hypermixing primary nozzles were investigated. A large-scale semispan model in the Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel and Static Test Facility was used. The trailing edge, augmentor flap system occupied 65% of the span and consisted of two fixed pivot flaps. The nozzle system consisted of hypermixing, lobe primary nozzles, and BLC slot nozzles at the forward inlet, both sides and ends of the throat, and at the aft flap. The entire wing leading edge was fitted with a 10% chord slat and a blowing slot. Outboard of the flap was a blown aileron. The model was tested statically and at forward speed. Primary parameters and their ranges included angle of attack from -12 to 32 degrees, flap angles of 20, 30, 45, 60 and 70 degrees, and deflection and diffuser area ratios from 1.16 to 2.22. Thrust coefficients ranged from 0 to 2.73, while nozzle pressure ratios varied from 1.0 to 2.34. Reynolds number per foot varied from 0 to 1.4 million. Analysis of the data indicated a maximum static, gross augmentation of 1.53 at a flap angle of 45 degrees. Analysis also indicated that the configuration was an efficient powered lift device and that the net thrust was comparable with augmentor wings of similar static performance. Performance at forward speed was best at a diffuser area ratio of 1.37

Individualized Cognitive Rehabilitation for Adults with Acquired Brain Injury

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can result from internal factors (e.g. tumor) or external causes (e.g. trauma). Three case studies of Korsakoff’s syndrome, meningioma, and traumatic brain injury (TBI), will be presented to illustrate the variety of cognitive deficits across different individuals with ABI. This study uses cognitive rehabilitation therapies to target individual cognitive symptoms. Results and discussion place emphasis on the use of prospective memory (PM) training for treating Korsakoff’s syndrome. The Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST) served as the assessment for PM analysis pre and post rehabilitation. The data from this study will be used as a model for a larger study analyzing the effectiveness of different cognitive rehabilitative therapies: PM training, attention process training (APT) and executive function training, in treating ABI that are individualized based on cognitive symptoms

Transforming High School Physics With Modeling And Computation

The Engage to Excel (PCAST) report, the National Research Council\u27s Framework for K-12 Science Education, and the Next Generation Science Standards all call for transforming the physics classroom into an environment that teaches students real scientific practices. This work describes the early stages of one such attempt to transform a high school physics classroom. Specifically, a series of model-building and computational modeling exercises were piloted in a ninth grade Physics First classroom. Student use of computation was assessed using a proctored programming assignment, where the students produced and discussed a computational model of a baseball in motion via a high-level programming environment (VPython). Student views on computation and its link to mechanics was assessed with a written essay and a series of think-aloud interviews. This pilot study shows computation\u27s ability for connecting scientific practice to the high school science classroom