Arts engagement outside of school: Links with Year 10 to 12 students’ intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy in responding to art

This study draws on student engagement factors to examine the relationship between students’ non-school-based arts experiences on their intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy to participate in visual arts responding tasks. Visual arts responding in the curriculum includes learning about artists and artworks, decoding art and making critical judgements, and is important in building twenty-first century learning skills such as critical thinking and communication. A total of 266 Year 10 to 12 students from 18 schools in Western Australia (WA) participated in the quantitative research, which explored outside-school arts engagement as well as cognitive and psychological engagement factors in their current year of secondary schooling. The findings showed that while being an art consumer appears to impact on intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, producing art as a hobby outside of school does not appear to do so. The research raised questions about links between practice and theory, and how to promote students’ engagement in responding.     

Dress for fit: An exploration of female activewear consumption

While the female activewear market is growing rapidly, research on activewear consumption and female consumers is lagging. Existing researchers have failed to produce an in-depth understanding of female consumers’ perceptions of activewear, thereby providing limited insights for the activewear industry. Drawing upon brand association theory and the functional, expressive, and aesthetic model, the authors identify important attributes of activewear brands and how attributes lead to benefits pursued by female activewear consumers. Focus groups were conducted with 72 female activewear consumers in Australia. Findings reveal three product-related attributes (functional design, colour, and size and fit) and two non-product-related attributes (price and model imagery) influence the fulfillment of four benefits (mood enhancement, exercise facilitation, healthy and active lifestyle, and physical fit body image). This research contributes theoretical and empirical knowledge about activewear consumption and the vertical structure of brand associations. Findings of this research can help activewear brands deliver benefits to female consumers through improved product designs and marketing strategies.     

Using transdisciplinary research to examine talent identification and development in sport

Abstract

Effective sport talent identification and development (TID) programmes are integral to a nation’s success in international sport. Using a transdisciplinary approach that involved sport practitioners and researchers with diverse theoretical perspectives, we investigated TID factors in four Australian sports (Australian rules football, cricket, kayaking and tennis). A transdisciplinary approach allowed us to isolate and explore a range of factors critical to successful sport TID. This methodological article explores how this project moved TID research beyond its paradigmatic, quantitative, sport science lens and advanced knowledge and practice in TID from both theoretical and applied perspectives. The use of a transdisciplinary approach in future TID research is recommended.     

Food intake and appetite following school-based high-intensity interval training in 9–11-year-old children

Using a randomised cross-over design, free-living lunch intake and subjective appetite were examined in 10 children (9.8 ± 0.6 years) following high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus a control sedentary (SED) period, within a school setting. The 22-min HIIT took place during a regular PE lesson and consisted of two rounds of 4 × 30 s sprints. Foods were offered at a regular school lunch immediately following HIIT and SED and were matched between conditions. All food was covertly weighed before and after the meal. Hunger, fullness and prospective consumption were reported immediately before and after HIIT/SED, using visual analogue scales. Heart rate was higher during HIIT than SED (159.3 ± 23.1 vs. 76.9 ± 2.2 bpm, P < 0.05). Lunch energy intake was not different (P = 0.52) following HIIT, compared to SED (2.06 ± 0.35 vs. 2.09 ± 0.29 MJ, respectively). There were no significant differences in macronutrient intake or subjective appetite (P > 0.05). Results suggest that HIIT can be implemented in a PE lesson immediately before lunch, without causing a compensatory increase in food consumption.     

Age and Sex Differences in Motor Performance of 3 through 6 Year Old Children

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of age and sex to the performance of 3, 4, 5, and 6 year olds on seven motor performance test items. Although significant age and sex differences were found on most of the motor tests, it appears that age generally was related more to performance than was gender. Overall, change with age was fairly linear except perhaps for balancing and a general tapering in improvement in the 5 to 6 year old category. On the tests of throwing and balancing, gender was as important as age, or more so, in its relationship to performance. Boys were superior to girls at all ages on the throwing tests; girls were superior to boys at age 6 on the Balance test. Gender differences of a lesser magnitude were found on the Speed Run and Standing Long Jump tests with the performance of boys generally being superior to the performance of girls. Thus, it appears that gender differences in motor performance occur as early as the preschool years. Interestingly, except for the Balance test, on all the tests the 3 and 4 year old boys performed similarly and the 5 and 6 year old boys performed similarly. For the girls there were more significant differences from year to year in performance, with the data generally indicating at least three distinct skill groups for girls from age 3 to 6.     

Data Mining in Elite Sports: A Review and a Framework

Sophisticated data analytical methods such as data mining, where the focus is upon exploration and developing new insights, are becoming increasingly useful tools in analysing elite sports performance data and supporting decision making that is crucial to gaining success. In this article, we investigate the different data mining demands of elite sports with respect to a number of features that describe sport competitions. The aim is to more structurally connect the sports and data mining domains through: (a) describing a framework for categorizing elite sports, and (b) understanding the analytical demands of different performance analysis problems. Therefore, we review different aspects such as sport categories and performance analysis requirements that influence each stage in sports data mining. We also present a model bringing together performance analysis requirements, data mining methods, data mining techniques, and technique characteristics. This will assist both data scientists and sport professionals to more effectively collaborate and contribute to success in elite sport events.     

Bureaucracy,professionalization and school centred innovation strategies

This paper examines an attempt to promote a school centred innovation strategy within a highly centralized educational system.The School Based Curriculum Project Scheme, which was introduced into Hong Kong in 1988, is analysed in terms of a professional-bureaucratic dichotomy. It is argued that the operational details of the scheme are designed to satisfy a range of bureaucratic concerns and these are not conducive to promoting the professional work ethic which is required for school centred innovation. Finally the paper identifies the implications which arise for policies designed to promote curriculum innovation.

---

Zusammenfassung In diesem Artikel wird ein Versuch geprüft, der eine schulzentrierte Innovationsstrategie innerhalb eines hochzentralisierten Erziehungssystems fördern soll.Das School Based Curriculum Project Scheme, das 1988 in Hong Kong eingeführt wurde, wird in Form einer professionellen-bürokratischen Dichotomie analysiert. Es wird dargelegt, daß Arbeitsdetails der Konzeption dazu dienen, Bereiche bürokratischer Belange zufrieden zu stellen; diese sind einer professionellen Arbeitsethik, die für eine schulzentierte Innovation nötig sind, nicht förderlich. Schließlich werden in diesem Artikel Folgerungen gezogen, die sich aus der Förderung der Curriculumsinnovation ergeben.

---

Résumé Cet article examine une tentative faite pour promouvoir une stratégie d'innovation de centres scolaires au sein d'un système éducatif hautement centralisé.Le Projet de curriculum fondé sur l'école, qui a été introduit à Hong Kong en 1988, est analysé sur la base d'une dichotomie professionnelle-bureaucratique. On affirme que les détails opérationnels de ce projet sont conçus pour satisfaire certains intérêts bureaucratiques et que ces derniers ne mènent pas à la promotion d'une éthique de travail professionel qui est indispensable pour l'innovation d'un centre scolaire. Enfin, cet article définit les conséquences qui s'ensuivent pour les politiques conçues pour promouvoir une innovation du curriculum.

     

Stakeholders’ perceptions and recommendations of a high school leadership development programme for athletes in Singapore

ABSTRACT

This study examined the perceptions of key stakeholders of a high school athlete leadership development training programme. Participants included 36 athletes (males = 23, females = 13) from two team sports (rugby n = 11 and volleyball n = 6) and two individual sports (bowling n = 8 and table tennis n = 11), as well as four coaches representing each of these sports and four teachers. Individual interviews were conducted for coaches, teachers, and athlete leaders, while athletes took part in focus group interviews. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse all data sets. Results showed that the athlete leadership programme developed qualities such as responsibility, role modelling, motivation, communication, perseverance, and team unity that would help athlete leaders perform their roles and responsibilities. The results also highlighted some limitations including earlier involvement from key stakeholders, tailored training for athlete leaders, and a more effective transfer of learning.