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The purpose of this study was to analyze whether a significant difference exists in the three levels of student engagement, (a) academic challenge, (b) active and collaborative learning, and (c) student-faculty interaction among male African-American student-athletes at NCAA Divisional (Division I, II, and III) and NAIA Institutions. The study utilized the 2013-2014 secondary data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The 2013 and 2014 data were the most recent data provided by NSSE because of unidentifiable factors at the student or institutional level that have not been currently measured. The results supported the conclusion that there was a significant difference in academic challenges between African-American male student-athletes at NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA institutions. The results illustrated that NCAA Division III institutions provided support systems that focused to help African-American male student-athletes to be more engaging in educational activities, while assisting them with psychological coping mechanisms that may contribute to completing college more efficiently than their counterparts at NCAA Division I, II, and NAIA institutions. This discovery of the findings speaks volume to the academic culture of NCAA Division III institutions and the roles that are played in each student athlete's life.

In this article I argue for higher education practitioners to take focused action to contribute to transforming their societies into open and democratically negotiated forms of living, and why they should do so. The need is especially urgent in South Africa, whose earlier revolutionary spirit led to massive social change. The kind of social transformation I have in mind is where all people are seen as equal in all domains, including capacity to do research and generate theory; especially significant given that social evolution is linked with knowledge creation. Drawing on personal stories of experience, I make a case for universities to create innovative professional pathways that will encourage the fulfilment of intellectual potential by all practitioners, not only elites, taking as a main criterion for judging the quality of practice whether one has contributed to the wellbeing of a township, however this may be construed.

This article is an account of the author's ongoing action enquiry into how she can understand and improve her practice. It is a continuation of an earlier paper, delivered originally as a keynote presentation at the SAARDHE 2007 Conference, University of Pretoria, where she made the case that the "I" should be central in educational research; that academics located in higher education should reconceptualise themselves as intellectuals whose job is challenge existing ideas and practices as a means of contributing to the development of an open society; and for the maintenance of a free academic press to enable them to publish their accounts of how they are doing so. She develops some of these themes in this article, showing how she acts as a living example of ideas to do with the generative transformational nature of living processes, including forms of enquiry, whose existence is facilitated through the capacity of the thinker to problematise and deconstruct his/her own thinking. The author raises questions about how she can account for herself to herself, drawing on Foucault's (2001) discussion of "parrhesia"--frank and truthful talk--as a means of showing how a morally accountable life can be understood as one in which the individual is able to speak the truth to others, and, more importantly, to themselves. This kind of understanding is linked with a parallel understanding of how the author represents herself to herself and others, so that she may be seen as a person who is to be trusted in showing how her form of life matches her own ethical commitments. Further, the author asks, when individuals find ways of telling the truth about and to themselves, how do they then use this knowledge, and for what purposes? How do they represent themselves, as they tell their truth?

Introduction Despite the myriad advantages associated with physical activity (PA), older adults are often insufficiently active to maximise health benefits. Understanding factors that influence engagement in PA will support practitioners in providing well-designed interventions for older people. Our aim was to review the qualitative evidence exploring the factors affecting older adult's engagement in PA. Method Four electronic databases were searched: CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. Inclusion criteria were community-dwelling older adults (≥70 years), and studies including qualitative method. Exclusion criteria were studies examining a single disease group, individuals with cognitive impairment, care home residents, and PA interventions. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was used to assess methodological rigour. Framework synthesis using the COM-B model was applied to analyse data, and the GRADE-CERQual approach was used to assess confidence in findings. (PROSPERO: CRD42021160503). Results Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Participants (N = 3,955; mean age 78.9 years) included 64% female and 36% male older adults. Most studies were methodologically rigorous (17/21 scored ≥8 CASP). We identified 32 themes mapped against the COM-B framework (16 high confidence). Older adult's perceived capability was influenced by their functional capacity, illness symptoms and perceived risk of injury from PA. PA was motivated by identifying as an 'exerciser', health gains and positive emotions (e.g. enjoyment), while negative sensations reduced motivation (e.g. pain). Opportunity was impacted by the weather, the environment 'fit', and the availability of social interaction during PA. Moreover, social opportunity was impacted by socio-cultural ageing stereotypes and discourses, influencing older adults' PA through media outlets, social norms, and self-stigma. Conclusion The review found a complex web of interacting factors that influenced older people's PA between the sub-domains of capability, motivation, and opportunity. Future initiatives to increase PA in older adults should focus on social influences, environmental barriers, and physical limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I argue for higher education practitioners to take focused action to contribute to transforming their societies into open and democratically negotiated forms of living, and why they should do so. The need is especially urgent in South Africa, whose earlier revolutionary spirit led to massive social change. The kind of social transformation I have in mind is where all people are seen as equal in all domains, including capacity to do research and generate theory; especially significant given that social evolution is linked with knowledge creation. Drawing on personal stories of experience, I make a case for universities to create innovative professional pathways that will encourage the fulfilment of intellectual potential by all practitioners, not only elites, taking as a main criterion for judging the quality of practice whether one has contributed to the wellbeing of a township, however this may be construed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear behaviour of an x-band microwave guide is investigated using special carbon loaded composite materials as partial filling. The measurements focus on the change in the phase shift of a low power guided microwave signal across a sample that is subjected to an intense microwave pump beam. The latter stimulates a nonlinear contribution to the dielectric permittivity of the composite material. The measurement technique involves an automated network analyser that determines an induced phase shift in the signal beam. The analysis of the results takes into account the spatial distribution of both the signal and pump wave fields, within an extensive quasi-linear model. The carbon-loaded material is demonstrated to be very nonlinear in the technologically important 8–12 GHz microwave frequency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]