Effects of aerobic and cognitively-engaging physical activity on academic skills: A cluster randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

This cluster randomized controlled trial (trial-number #) compares effects of two school-based physical activity interventions (aerobic vs. cognitively-engaging) on reading, mathematics, and spelling achievement; and whether effects are influenced by volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and baseline achievement. Twenty-two primary schools participated, where a third and fourth grade class were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Intervention groups were randomly assigned to a 14-week aerobic or cognitively-engaging intervention, receiving four physical education lessons a week. Control groups followed their regular physical education program. Academic achievement of 891 children (mean age 9.17 years, 49.4% boys) was assessed with standardized tests before and after the interventions. Post-Test academic achievement did not significantly differ between intervention groups and control group. A higher volume of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity resulted in better post-test mathematics achievement in both intervention groups, and post-test spelling achievement in the cognitively engaging intervention group. Compared to the control group, lower achievers in reading performed better in reading after the cognitively-engaging intervention. A combination of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cognitively-engaging exercises seems to have the most beneficial effects. Future intervention studies should take into account quantitative and qualitative aspects of physical activity, and children’s baseline academic achievement.     

The PCC ISNI Pilot: Exploring Identity Management on a Global,Collaborative Scale

Abstract

The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) conducted a multi-institution Pilot project to contribute metadata to the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) database. In addition to describing the goals, structure, and activities undertaken in the Pilot, this article examines some of the experiences of PCC metadata practitioners as they sought to incorporate ISNIs into their metadata workflows and pursue a wide range of ISNI use cases. Lastly, the article outlines next steps that flowed from the Pilot as the PCC has parlayed its newly developing identity management expertise into additional PCC program explorations.     

Flexible and inexpensive: Improving learning transfer and program evaluation through participant action plans

Action plans have been shown to improve transfer of learning and have proven an effective tool in training evaluation. This study describes how action planning was simply and successfully adapted to a preexisting curriculum with few additional resources. The decision to use participant action planning, the administration of it, and the participants' and the sponsor's responses are discussed, along with suggestions for future human performance technology research.     

The effects of imagery training on fast isometric knee extensor torque development

We hypothesized that imagery training would improve the fast onset of neuromuscular activation and thereby fast knee extensor isometric torque development. Forty young healthy participants, not involved in strength training, were assigned to one of four groups: physical training, imagery training, placebo training or control. The three training groups had three 15 min sessions per week for 4 weeks, with a 90 ° knee angle but were tested also at 120 °. At 90 ° knee angle, maximal torque increased (-8%) similarly in all three training groups. The torque-time integral (contractile impulse) over the first 40 ms after torque onset (TTI40) increased (P < 0.05) after physical training (by -100%), but only at 90 °. This increase was significantly different from the delta values (change pre to post) in the control and placebo groups, whereas delta values in the imagery group were similar to those in the placebo group. The increases in TTI40 following physical training were related (r (2) = 0.81, P < 0.05) to significant increases of knee extensor rectified surface EMG at torque onset (EMG40). In conclusion, only physical training led to a knee angle specific increase of contractile impulse that was significantly different from placebo and controls and that was related to improved onset of neuromuscular activation.     

The BASES expert statement on emotion regulation in sport

Emotions experienced before and during sports competition have been found to influence sports performance. Emotion regulation is defined as the automatic or deliberate use of strategies to initiate, maintain, modify or display emotions (Gross & Thompson, 2007) and is proposed to occur when a discrepancy exists between current and desired emotions. Two distinct motivations to regulate emotion - hedonic and instrumental (in short, for pleasure or for purpose) - have been proposed (Tamir, 2009). The instrumental approach might provide a more fruitful area of investigation for sports researchers as some athletes hold beliefs that supposedly pleasant emotions such as happiness and calmness associate with poor performance and supposedly unpleasant emotions such as anxiety and anger associate with good performance (Hanin, 2010). Athletes are more likely to try to regulate an emotion if they believe that doing so will facilitate performance. Strategies that encourage re-appraisal of factors that trigger emotions are proposed to be preferable. In this British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) expert statement, a summary of the key theoretical issues are offered leading to evidence-based recommendations for practitioners and researchers.     

年少的蜗牛没有壳

那时我是一个瘦瘦的女孩,站在人群里,常被人忽略。体育老师排队,下意识地让我出列,等他先将那些体形匀称、面容柔美的女孩子排完了,才发愁地看我一眼说,把你排到哪里才合适呢?