Does weight status influence associations between children's fundamental movement skills and physical activity?

This study sought to determine whether weight status influences the association among children's fundamental movement skills (FMS) and physical activity (PA). Two hundred forty-eight children ages 9-12 years participated. Proficiency in three object-control skills and two locomotor skills was examined. Accelerometers objectively assessed physical activity. Body mass index was calculated to determine weight status. Correlations between physical activity and FMS proficiency were evident among boys and girls. No significant interaction was apparent when examining FMS proficiency scores, PA variables, and weight status. Future studies should examine a broader range of skills and types of activities to better characterize this relationship and to inform the promotion of movement skill proficiency and PA.     

Girls' and boys' perceptions of physical education teachers' feedback: effects on performance and psychological responses

In this study, we examined the perceptions of physical education (PE) teachers' feedback patterns with female and male high school students (n = 325). Eight physical education teachers (4 females and 4 males) were involved. We examined (a) whether teachers' feedback was perceived differently by boys and girls, and how the sex of the teacher influenced these perceptions, and (b) the effects of types of feedback (praise, no response-successful, encouragement, technical information, criticism, no response-unsuccessful, and teacher's invested time) on students' perceived competence, effort, enjoyment, and their PE performance. A multivariate analysis revealed an interaction between teacher and student gender on perceptions of teacher feedback. Hierarchical regression analyses highlighted that the perceived feedback significantly predicted students' perceptions of competence (DeltaR(2) = 0.088), effort (DeltaR(2) = 0.119), enjoyment (DeltaR(2) = 0.085), and their PE performance (DeltaR(2) = 0.039) after accounting for the gender of the students and teachers and the students' initial PE performance. The perceptions of praise and teachers' invested time were positively linked with the dependent variables, whereas encouragement and technical information and criticism were negatively linked. The findings are discussed in terms of teaching effectiveness and gender equity.     

Effect of shoulder angle on physiological responses during incremental peak arm crank ergometry

This study examined the effect of shoulder angle and gender on physiological and perceptual responses during incremental peak arm ergometry. Healthy adults (nine males, seven females) volunteered for the study and completed an incremental arm ergometry test on two separate occasions at two different shoulder angles (90 degrees and 45 degrees). Initial work rate was set at 16 W x min-1 and was increased progressively until exhaustion. Cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses were recorded at the end of each minute and compared using separate three-way (position x work rate x gender) repeated-measures analyses of variance. The systematic bias of peak responses was examined using separate two-way (position x gender) analyses of variance, while reproducibility of these parameters was explored using intraclass correlation coefficients, measurement bias/ratio, and 95% ratio limits of agreement. Despite a significantly greater peak heart rate for the 45 degrees position, cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses were similar at peak exercise for both positions. Peak values for all variables, although similar, demonstrated similar and large inter-test variability for men and women. Reduction of the shoulder joint angle to 45 degrees did not enhance peak work rate and peak oxygen consumption during seated upper body exercise. Due to the large inter-test variability, arm ergometry should be conducted using the same seated position.     

Reliability and validity of two tests of soccer skill

Twenty-four players from the 1st/2nd (elite) and 24 players from the 3rd/4th (non-elite) university football teams were recruited to evaluate the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT) and Loughborough Soccer Shooting Test (LSST) as tools to assess soccer skill. The LSPT requires players to complete 16 passes as quickly as possible. The LSST requires players to pass, control, and shoot the ball to targets on a full-sized goal. Participants completed two main trials each separated by at least one day. During both trials, the participants were given practice efforts before recording the mean of the next two (LSPT) or 10 (LSST) attempts as the performance score. For the LSPT, the mean time taken, added penalty time, and overall performance time were less in the elite players (elite: 43.6 s, s = 3.8; non-elite: 52.5 s, s= 7.4; P= 0.0001). For the LSST, there was no difference in the mean points scored per shot between groups (elite: 1.34, s = 0.46; non-elite: 1.28, s = 0.53). However, the elite players had higher mean shot speed (elite: 80 km h(-1), s = 4.5; non-elite: 74 km h(-1), s = 4.2; P < 0.0001) and performed each shot sequence faster (elite: 7.87 s, s= 0.29; non-elite: 8.07 s, s= 0.35; P= 0.037) than the non-elite players. Performance on both tests was more repeatable in elite players. In conclusion, the LSPT and LSST are valid and reliable protocols to assess differences in soccer skill performance.     

The Reliability of a 5km Run Test on a Motorized Treadmill

The purpose of the present study was to determine the reliability of a 5km run test on a motorized treadmill. Over three consecutive weeks, 12 well-trained runners completed three 5km time trials on a treadmill following a standardized warm-up. Runners were partially-blinded to their running speed and distance covered. Total time to complete the run was recorded for analysis of reliability. The highest intraclass correlation coefficient between trials for 5km time trial (TT) time was .99 (90% confidence intervals [CI]; .96–1.00, very high), which occurred between trials 2 and 3. The lowest typical error of measurement (expressed as a coefficient of variation percentage [CV%] and as an absolute value in seconds) also occurred between trials 2 and 3, and was 1.0% and 10.9 seconds, respectively. The testing protocol performed on a motorized treadmill in the current study is reproducible in well-trained runners following a single trial, making it a reliable method for monitoring running performance.     

Cultural clusters and cultural industries in China

Through examining the development and the nature of the new cultural districts in China, namely, “clusters of Beijing,” this paper attempts to identify the characteristics of, and critically evaluate, the existing models of culture clusters in China. Obviously, these cultural clusters are seen as a united and state effort to assist, develop and boost the so-called cultural industries, including game, animation, comic, software, science and technology and so forth. However, with the clusters of Beijing as a case study, in this paper we argue that in the course of development, the state interests and the authorities' local (e.g. district) interest are often prioritized over the culture or the local interest. There are also tensions and contradictions among various interest groups on different levels of operations of these cultural clusters. In sum, apart from enhancing the private creative industries, developing the national cultural economy, or revitalizing the old industries as in the cluster models of many western countries, economic interests, political powers of the districts and soft power of the nation can be the overriding interests behind the booming cultural clusters in China.     

Characteristics and experiences of interns in strength and conditioning

Student coaches undertake internships to develop practical skills and gain experience to improve employability prospects. The characteristics of the coaches who undertake these internships, their experiences and the nature of the work being performed are currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to report the characteristics of strength and conditioning (S&C) coaches who have undertaken internships and their experiences during their respective placements. A total of 113 men and 6 women completed an online survey. Placements generally lasted 6–12 months (66%), were unpaid (93%) and took place at professional teams (63%). All respondents had a standard of experience prior to commencement (82%); a higher-education degree (bachelor’s degree 56%; master’s degree 18%) and others were qualified S&C coaches (16%). Activities consisted largely of coaching (47%), data collection (22%) and equipment set-up (25%) but lacked provision of appropriate training. Mentors were allocated to interns; however, often developmental objectives were not discussed, meetings were rarely documented, and in some cases, no meetings took place. This study suggests that internships offer worthwhile experiences and assistance in skill development to progress in S&C. However, clearer guidelines are required to define the responsibilities of employers and interns, to maximise these experiential learning opportunities and avoid the exploitation of willing students.     

A note on WISC-WISC-R differences with mentally retarded and borderline functioning adolescents

Records of 94 randomly selected students from the Department for the Mentally Retarded in the Special School District of St. Louis County (mean age 14.8 years) were reviewed. Forty-nine subjects had been given the WISC (25 males and 24 females), and 45 subjects had been given the WISC-R (31 males and 14 females). Although no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups, the WISC tested lower than the WISC-R by an average of 1.8 points in Verbal IQ, 2.6 points in Performance IQ, and 2 points in Full Scale IQ. This finding was consistent with other studies that have indicated WISC-WISC-R differences of about 2 points for children over I I years of age.     

Deficits in bannatyne's sequencing ability on the WISC and WISC-R for mildly retarded and borderline functioning children over time

The WISC and WISC-R protocols of 94 special education students (51 white males, 5 black males, 30 white females, and 8 black females) who tested in the mildly retarded and borderline range of abilities (IQs of 50–78) were examined. Their test performance was then followed longitudinally for two additional WISC and WISC-R assessments. Mean age of subjects was 8 years at Test 1, 10.75 years at Test 2, and 14.9 years at Test 3. As predicted, subjects had lower IQ equivalent scores on Bannatyne's Sequencing Ability category than their IQ equivalent scores on the Verbal Comprehension or Perceptual Organization factors of the WISC and WISC-R for all three testings. Results were interpreted as supporting the notion that mildly retarded children and learning disabled children have qualitatively similar learning patterns.     

Attitudes toward Statistics Assessments

Although statistics instructors have attempted to improve the cognitive aspects of instruction, particularly with respect to assessments, relatively little attention has been paid to non-cognitive issues, including students' attitudes, feelings, beliefs, perceptions, motivations, and interests. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine (1) the methods of statistics assessments that students most prefer; (2) the methods of statistics assessment that students feel induce the least amount of anxiety; (3) the methods of statistics assessments that students most rate as inducing higher-order thinking; (4) the characteristics of students with the most negative overall attitudes toward statistics assessments; and (5) how students rate performance assessments and authentic assessments. Findings revealed that students appear most to prefer statistics examinations in which at least limited supporting material is permitted. Interestingly, assessments in which some form of supporting material is allowed appeared to be more popular than are examinations with no time constraints. However, examinations that are untimed and in which supporting material is allowed were regarded best as inducing the least amount of anxiety, as increasing levels of performance, and as promoting higher-order thinking. Overall, students tended to rate performance assessments the most highly. Unfortunately, authentic assessments were not rated as highly as were performance assessments. Canonical correlation analyses suggested that age, the number of college-level mathematics courses, the number of years elapsed since students' last statistics class, and levels of statistics anxiety are determinants of these attitudes. The implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are presented.