title: Using discursive strategies, playing policy games and shaping the future of physical education

authors: Swabey, Karen

subjects: education

abstract: This paper presents a critical analysis of the representation of physical education (PE) in the 1992 Senate inquiry into 'Physical and Sport Education' in Australia. Analysis focuses specifically upon how and why a new professional discourse, fundamental motor skills (FMS), gained a privileged position in the inquiry, the inquiry report and in subsequent PE policy and practice across Australia. This paper examines the complex policy processes and power-relations underpinning the progressive legitimisation of the FMS discourse, and identifies subtleties and variations in the expression of the discourse. Attention is drawn to the strategic appropriation of established professional discourses and utilisation of crisis discourses in establishing and gaining support for the FMS discourse. The analysis reaffirms policy arenas as sites of contestation but highlights that they are simultaneously sites of possibility for PE professionals who are prepared and able to use discursive resources in strategic ways. The contemporary relevance of the discourses privileged in 1992 and lessons to be learned from events surrounding the Senate inquiry are discussed.

text: Using discursive strategies, playing policy games and shaping the future of physical education This paper presents a critical analysis of the representation of physical education (PE) in the 1992 Senate inquiry into 'Physical and Sport Education' in Australia. Analysis focuses specifically upon how and why a new professional discourse, fundamental motor skills (FMS), gained a privileged position in the inquiry, the inquiry report and in subsequent PE policy and practice across Australia. This paper examines the complex policy processes and power-relations underpinning the progressive legitimisation of the FMS discourse, and identifies subtleties and variations in the expression of the discourse. Attention is drawn to the strategic appropriation of established professional discourses and utilisation of crisis discourses in establishing and gaining support for the FMS discourse. The analysis reaffirms policy arenas as sites of contestation but highlights that they are simultaneously sites of possibility for PE professionals who are prepared and able to use discursive resources in strategic ways. The contemporary relevance of the discourses privileged in 1992 and lessons to be learned from events surrounding the Senate inquiry are discussed.

year: 2011-01

title: An Investigation of Catania's Concept of the Operant

authors: Cotton, Maree Louise

subjects: Response class

abstract: Catania (1973), in discussing the concept of the operant suggested responses should not be classified based on arbitrary criteria such as response function or topography alone, and rather should focus on the continuous distribution of responding. Catania (1973) hypothesised that response distributions would resemble a normal curve, even when reinforcement was provided for only those responses that occurred between two limits. Six domestic hens were used in a series of experiments in order to investigate Catania’s (1973) suggestion. In the first experiment the hens pecked at a flat screen with an infra-red device was mounted in front the screen to detect response location. Pecks in defined regions of the screen resulted in 3-s access to wheat. Over conditions, different quadrants of the screen were active. The whole screen remained white throughout each session except when the reinforcement was being delivered. The hens responded on a fixed-ration 5 schedule for 40 reinforcers per session. Over sessions the distribution of the locations of responses shifted to being centred over the active quadrant. Proportions of correct responses increased across sessions but incorrect responses persisted throughout. In Experiment 2 the screen was divided into ten 30-mm regions of which one was active in each condition while the whole screen remained white. The active region was moved in steps from the left to the right and from the right to the left of the screen over eleven conditions with eight sessions in each conditions and a fixed-ratio 5 schedule. In general, in each condition the proportion of correct responses increased to around 0.4. In each condition the distribution of response location shifted to being centred over the active region, resembling a normal distribution. In most cases, response rates on the active region were higher than for the inactive regions, hens usually responded on several regions at a moderate rate. In Condition 12 the active region was coloured red and this resulted in a narrower distribution of response locations, and higher proportions of correct response that other conditions for most hens. A large number of incorrect response persisted throughout this condition. These findings provide some evidence that supports Catania’s (1973) hypothetical response distributions. The argument is made that Catania’s (1973) concept of the operant could be a way to organise responses into a class and also that is provides a means of classifying response while maintaining the continuity of behaviour and, therefore, avoids the use of arbitrary criterion.

text: An Investigation of Catania's Concept of the Operant Catania (1973), in discussing the concept of the operant suggested responses should not be classified based on arbitrary criteria such as response function or topography alone, and rather should focus on the continuous distribution of responding. Catania (1973) hypothesised that response distributions would resemble a normal curve, even when reinforcement was provided for only those responses that occurred between two limits. Six domestic hens were used in a series of experiments in order to investigate Catania’s (1973) suggestion. In the first experiment the hens pecked at a flat screen with an infra-red device was mounted in front the screen to detect response location. Pecks in defined regions of the screen resulted in 3-s access to wheat. Over conditions, different quadrants of the screen were active. The whole screen remained white throughout each session except when the reinforcement was being delivered. The hens responded on a fixed-ration 5 schedule for 40 reinforcers per session. Over sessions the distribution of the locations of responses shifted to being centred over the active quadrant. Proportions of correct responses increased across sessions but incorrect responses persisted throughout. In Experiment 2 the screen was divided into ten 30-mm regions of which one was active in each condition while the whole screen remained white. The active region was moved in steps from the left to the right and from the right to the left of the screen over eleven conditions with eight sessions in each conditions and a fixed-ratio 5 schedule. In general, in each condition the proportion of correct responses increased to around 0.4. In each condition the distribution of response location shifted to being centred over the active region, resembling a normal distribution. In most cases, response rates on the active region were higher than for the inactive regions, hens usually responded on several regions at a moderate rate. In Condition 12 the active region was coloured red and this resulted in a narrower distribution of response locations, and higher proportions of correct response that other conditions for most hens. A large number of incorrect response persisted throughout this condition. These findings provide some evidence that supports Catania’s (1973) hypothetical response distributions. The argument is made that Catania’s (1973) concept of the operant could be a way to organise responses into a class and also that is provides a means of classifying response while maintaining the continuity of behaviour and, therefore, avoids the use of arbitrary criterion.

year: 2012

title: An auto-ethnography: Decolonising educational leadership in Aotearoa /New Zealand

authors: Murfitt, Daniel

abstract: This auto-ethnography examines how I, as the principal in an English-medium state secondary school in Aotearoa/New Zealand, hence forth referred to as Aotearoa, collaborated to transform the school culture, leading to improved outcomes for indigenous Māori students. By examining the transcripts of interviews between myself and external researchers, the key strategies and behaviours of decolonising and transformative leadership that led the transformation of a school culture and system, begin to be revealed.
Imperative in addressing the long-term underachievement of Māori students as a result of colonisation is a framework for educational leaders to both challenge and transform a system, created through colonisation, that continues to underserve Māori students and whānau .
The findings provide examples and tested guidelines for leaders to work within transformative spaces, created through a decolonising leadership framework. It provides a model of effective leadership utilising deliberate acts of decolonisation alongside partnerships of mana ōrite  to transform negative systems and behaviours perpetuated by colonisation.

text: An auto-ethnography: Decolonising educational leadership in Aotearoa /New Zealand This auto-ethnography examines how I, as the principal in an English-medium state secondary school in Aotearoa/New Zealand, hence forth referred to as Aotearoa, collaborated to transform the school culture, leading to improved outcomes for indigenous Māori students. By examining the transcripts of interviews between myself and external researchers, the key strategies and behaviours of decolonising and transformative leadership that led the transformation of a school culture and system, begin to be revealed.
Imperative in addressing the long-term underachievement of Māori students as a result of colonisation is a framework for educational leaders to both challenge and transform a system, created through colonisation, that continues to underserve Māori students and whānau .
The findings provide examples and tested guidelines for leaders to work within transformative spaces, created through a decolonising leadership framework. It provides a model of effective leadership utilising deliberate acts of decolonisation alongside partnerships of mana ōrite  to transform negative systems and behaviours perpetuated by colonisation.

year: 2019