Anthropometric and physiological predispositions for elite soccer

This review is focused on anthropometric and physiological characteristics of soccer players with a view to establishing their roles within talent detection, identification and development programmes. Top-class soccer playershave to adapt to the physical demandsof the game, which are multifactorial. Players may not need to have an extraordinary capacity within any of the areas of physical performance but must possess a reasonably high level within all areas. This explains why there are marked individual differences in anthropometric and physiological characteristics among top players. Various measurements have been used to evaluate specific aspects of the physical performance of both youth and adult soccer players.The positional role of a player is related to his or her physiological capacity. Thus, midfield players and full-backs have the highest maximal oxygen intakes (> 60 ml·kg -1 ·min -1 ) and perform best in intermittent exercise tests. On the other hand, midfield players tend to have the lowest muscle strength. Although these distinctions are evident in adult and elite youth players, their existence must be interpreted circumspectly in talent identification and development programmes. A range of relevant anthropometric and physiological factors can be considered which are subject to strong genetic influences (e.g. stature and maximal oxygen intake) or are largely environmentally determined and susceptible to training effects. Consequently, fitness profiling can generate a useful database against which talented groups may be compared. No single method allows for a representative assessment of a player's physical capabilities for soccer. Weconclude that anthropometric and physiological criteria do have a role as part of a holistic monitoring of talented young players.     

Effects of modified-implement training on fast bowling in cricket

The effects of training with overweight and underweight cricket balls on fast-bowling speed and accuracy were investigated in senior club cricket bowlers randomly assigned to either a traditional (n = 9) or modified-implement training (n = 7) group. Both groups performed bowling training three times a week for 10 weeks. The traditional training group bowled only regulation cricket balls (156 g), whereas the modified-implement training group bowled a combination of overweight (161?-?181 g), underweight (151?-?131 g) and regulation cricket balls. A radar gun measured the speed of 18 consecutive deliveries for each bowler before, during and after the training period. Video recordings of the deliveries were also analysed to determine bowling accuracy in terms of first-bounce distance from the stumps. Bowling speed, which was initially 108?±?5 km?·?h^?1 (mean?±?standard deviation), increased in the modified-implement training group by 4.0 km?·?h^?1 and in the traditional training group by 1.3 km?·?h^?1 (difference, 2.7 km?·?h^?1; 90% confidence limits, 1.2 to 4.2 km?·?h^?1). For a minimum worthwhile change of 5 km?·?h^?1, the chances that the true effect on bowling speed was practically beneficial/trivial/harmful were 1.0/99/<?0.1%. For bowling accuracy, the chances were 1/48/51%. This modified-implement training programme is not a useful training strategy for club cricketers.     

Prediction of segmental lean mass using anthropometric variables in young adults

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to develop and cross-validate anthropometrical prediction equations for segmental lean tissue mass (SLM). One hundred and seventeen young healthy Caucasians (67 men and 50 women; mean age: 31.9 ± 10.0 years; Body Mass Index: 24.3 ± 3.2 kg · m^?2) were included. Body mass (BM), stretch stature (SS), 14 circumferences (CC), 13 skinfolds (SF) and 4 bone breadths (BB) were used as anthropometric measurements. Segmental lean mass of both arms, trunk and both legs were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry as the criterion method. Three prediction equations for SLM were developed as follows: arms = 40.394(BM) + 169.836(CCarm-tensed) + 399.162(CCwrist) – 85.414(SFtriceps) – 39.790(SFbiceps) – 7289.190, where Adj.R ² = 0.97, P < 0.001, and standard error of estimate (SEE) = 355 g;trunk = 181.530(BM) + 155.037(SS) + 534.818(CCneck) + 175.638(CCchest) ? 88.359(SFchest) ? 147.232(SFsupraspinale) ? 46522.165, where Adj.R ² = 0.97, P < 0.001, and SEE = 1077g; and legs = 55.838(BM) + 88.356(SS) + 235.579(CCmid-thigh) + 278.595(CCcalf) + 288.984(CCankle) ? 84.954(SFfront-thigh) ? 53.009(SFmedial calf) ? 28522.241, where Adj.R ² = 0.96, P < 0.001, and SEE = 724 g. Cross-validation statistics showed no significant differences (P < 0.05) between observed and predicted SLM. Root mean squared errors were smallest for arms (362 g), followed by legs (820 g) and trunk (1477 g). These new prediction equations allow an accurate estimation of segmental lean mass in groups of young adults, but estimation errors of 8 to 14% can occur in certain individuals.     

Large‐scale science education intervention research we can use

This article develops an argument that the type of intervention research most useful for improving science teaching and learning and leading to scalable interventions includes both research to develop and gather evidence of the efficacy of innovations and a different kind of research, design‐based implementation research (DBIR). DBIR in education focuses on what is required to bring interventions and knowledge about learning to all students, wherever they might engage in science learning. This research focuses on implementation, both in the development and initial testing of interventions and in the scaling up process. In contrast to traditional intervention research that focuses principally on one level of educational systems, DBIR designs and tests interventions that cross levels and settings of learning, with the aim of investigating and improving the effective implementation of interventions. The article concludes by outlining four areas of DBIR that may improve the likelihood that new standards for science education will achieve their intended purpose of establishing an effective, equitable, and coherent system of opportunities for science learning in the United States. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 281–304, 2012     

Gender,parental education,and ability: their interacting roles in predicting GCSE success

We investigate the relations between gender, parental education, ability, and educational achievement in Britain, focusing on the way in which gender and parental education interact with ability to contribute to a pupil’s obtaining secondary school qualifications. This allows us to provide evidence relevant to claims concerning the effects of differences in the way in which working- and middle-class familial cultures interact with gender-specific behaviour in school. Given the configurational nature of the processes likely to be involved, we employ Ragin’s Qualitative Comparative Analysis as our method. We find that, in both academically selective and non-selective schools, high ability is a quasi-sufficient condition for obtaining certain levels of qualification, but that at lower levels of ability, either being female or having highly educated parents (or both) have to be present, too. Boys without highly educated parents perform less well than girls from a similar background.     

Learning Environment and Attitudes Associated with an Innovative Science Course Designed for Prospective Elementary Teachers

This study assessed the effectiveness of an innovative science course for improving prospective elementary teachers’ perceptions of laboratory learning environments and attitudes towards science. The sample consisted of 27 classes with 525 female students in a large urban university. Changing students’ ideas about science laboratory teaching and learning and creating more positive attitudes towards science were accomplished by using a guided open-ended approach to investigations, together with instructors who used cooperative learning groups to create a supportive environment. Ideas and attitudes prior to the course were assessed using a questionnaire focusing on the students’ previous science laboratory courses, and these were compared to data collected at the end of the course. Students reported large and statistically significant improvements on all seven scales assessing the laboratory learning environment and attitudes towards science. The largest gains were observed for Open-Endedness and Material Environment (with effect sizes of 6.74 and 3.82 standard deviations, respectively). An investigation of attitude-environment associations revealed numerous positive and statistically significant associations in both univariate and multivariate analyses. In particular, the level of Instructor Support was the strongest independent predictor of student attitudes at two levels of analysis.     

Classroom climate as predictor and criterion in science education research

Summary and conclusion The present study has reported the use of a set of nine classroom climate dimensions both as predictor and criterion variables in research related to ASEP. When the climate dimensions were employed as independent variables, it was found that the climate variables contributed an appreciable amount to the variance explained in various learning outcomes over and above that explained by instructional and aptitudinal variables alone. When the climate measures were employed as dependent variables, it was found that ASEP and control pupuls had significantly different perceptions of their classrooms along a number of the classroom dimensions.     

Catering for teachers’ individual teaching differences in China: the case of forming reciprocal coaching circles supported by university-based teacher educators

Opportunities for high quality teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) are considered scarce in Asian countries such as China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. In addition, there seem to be few sustainable outcomes of teachers’ CPD. The present study aimed to address English teachers’ dissatisfaction with their own CPD in China. With some university-based teacher educators’ support, reciprocal coaching circles were formed by English teachers, where they identified common teaching problems and worked out practical solutions appropriate for their local contexts collaboratively. The findings suggest multiple benefits, including higher confidence in teaching, an expanded repertoire of teaching strategies, and teachers’ professional communities. Both in-service teachers and university-based teacher educators contribute to reciprocal coaching circles in complimentary ways, with local teachers being the main agent for change and university-based teacher educators being facilitators.