Gender comparison in consistency in the basketball free throw by an event-driven approach

This paper compares the free-throw performance of men and women in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), taking into account differences in ball size, ball stiffness, and release height. Although some claim that men are more athletic, based on the assumption that athleticism correlates with physical traits, the average free-throw percentages in NCAA Division 1 basketball have been close for decades and across gender. The larger men’s basketball could create a disadvantage for men. On the other hand, the stiffer women’s basketball could create a disadvantage for women. In addition, women typically launch the ball from a lower height above the floor than men do. Therefore, the question of which gender is more consistent was unanswered. To answer this question, we turned to simulations of basketball trajectories. We patched together closed-form trajectory events that terminate at the front rim, back rim, backboard, and a fictitious plane below the ring. This produced what we call speed lines. Using the speed lines and NCAA average free-throw percentages, the consistencies of men- and women-free throws were determined. Examination of the speed lines reveals that they exhibit fractal-like behavior. We analyzed sensitivities with respect to ball size, ball bounce, and release height. We found that the most influential factor in determining free-throw success is the average release height of a gender. Under the stipulated assumptions, this paper found that women are about 3% more consistent than men are.     

The development of a content analysis model for assessing students’ cognitive learning in asynchronous online discussions

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a content analysis model for assessing students’ cognitive learning in asynchronous online discussions. It adopted a fully mixed methods design, in which qualitative and quantitative methods were employed sequentially for data analysis and interpretation. Specifically, the design was a “sequential exploratory” (QUAL → quan) design with priority given to qualitative data and methods. Qualitative data were 800 online postings collected in two online courses. Quantitative data were 803 online postings from the same two courses but from different discussion topics and different weeks. During the qualitative process, a grounded theory approach was adopted to construct a content analysis model based on qualitative data. During the quantitative process, χ² tests and confirmative factor analysis (CFA) which used online postings as cases or observations and was the first of its kind were performed to test if the new model fit the quantitative data.     

Socioeconomic status impacts genetic influences on the longitudinal dynamic relationship between temperament and general cognitive ability in childhood: The Louisville Twin Study

The current analysis investigates genetic and environmental influences on the bidirectional relationships between temperament and general cognitive ability (GCA). Measures of GCA and three temperament factors (persistence, approach, and reactivity) were collected from 486 children ages 4–9 years (80% white, 50% female) from the Louisville Twin Study from 1976 to 1998. The results indicated a bidirectional dynamic model of temperament influencing subsequent GCA and GCA influencing subsequent temperament. The dynamic relationship between temperament and GCA arose primarily from shared genetic variance, particularly in families with higher socioeconomic status, where input from temperament contributed on average 20% to genetic variance in GCA versus 0% in lower SES families.     

Preservice teachers’ perceptions of learning environments before and after pandemic-related course disruption

Learning Environments Research - When the 2020 semester began in the USA in January, it was unimaginable that the near-total closure of educational system across the globe would become the new...