Effects of aerobic exercise and cognitively engaging exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills in primary school children: A cluster randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

This paper examined effects of two interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills, and whether these effects are influenced by baseline levels, and dose of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the intervention. A cluster randomized controlled trial was implemented in 22 schools (n = 891; 9.2 ± 07 years). Intervention groups received aerobic or cognitively engaging exercise (14-weeks, four lessons per week). Control groups followed their regular physical education programme. Cardiorespiratory fitness, motor skills and MVPA were assessed. Multilevel analysis showed no main effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills although the amount of MVPA was higher in the aerobic than in the cognitively engaging and control group. Intervention effects did not depend on baseline cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills. Children with a higher dose of MVPA within the intervention groups had better cardiorespiratory fitness after both interventions and better motor skills after the cognitively engaging intervention. In conclusion, the interventions were not effective to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills at a group level, possibly due to large individual differences and to a total dose of MVPA too low to find effects. However, the amount of MVPA is an important factor that influence the effectiveness of interventions.     

Gender‐Based Differential Prediction by Curriculum Samples for College Admissions

A longstanding concern about admissions to higher education is the underprediction of female academic performance by admission test scores. One explanation for these findings is selection system bias, that is, not all relevant KSAOs that are related to academic performance and gender are included in the prediction model. One solution to this problem is to include these omitted KSAOs in the prediction model, many of these KSAOs are 'noncognitive' and “hard‐to‐measure” skills in a high‐stakes context. An alternative approach to capture relevant KSAOs is using representative performance samples. We examined differential prediction of first year‐ and third year academic performance by gender based on a curriculum‐sampling test that was designed as a small‐scale simulation of later college performance. In addition, we examined differential prediction using both frequentist and Bayesian analyses. Our results showed no differential prediction or small female underprediction when using the curriculum‐sampling tests to predict first year GPA, and no differential prediction for predicting third year GPA. In addition, our results suggest that more comprehensive curriculum samples may show less differential prediction. We conclude that curriculum sampling may offer a practically feasible method that yields minimal differential prediction by gender in high‐stakes operational selection settings.     

Promoting effective teacher-feedback: from theory to practice through a multiple component trajectory for professional development

This study describes an evaluation of a theory-based trajectory for professional development called FeTiP (Feedback-Theory into Practice) that aims to have an observable effect on teacher classroom behavior. FeTiP is a multicomponent trajectory for professional development and combines several types of interventions. Its goal is to help teachers expand their feedback behavior in the classroom to provide more, and more effective (i.e. learning-enhancing), feedback. We first describe the foundation of FeTiP, with a central focus on how classroom behavior can be influenced by a multicomponent trajectory of professional development, as this is often a major aim in initiatives for the professional development of teachers but is the most difficult to establish. We describe the effects of FeTiP on the feedback behavior of teachers and attempt to explain why these effects occurred.     

The relation between feedback perceptions and the supervisor–student relationship in master's thesis projects

Research supervision can be investigated from social–emotional and cognitive perspectives, but most studies include only one perspective. This study aims to understand the interplay between a social–emotional (supervisor–student relationship) and cognitive (feedback) perspective on the outcomes of master's thesis supervision in specific, by investigating student perceptions of both perspectives. Questionnaire data (N?=?1016) were collected and analysed using regression analyses. For student satisfaction (SS) and students' perceived supervisor contribution to learning (PSCL), affiliation by far is most important, followed by control for SS and feedback-forward for PSCL. Also, interaction effects between feedback and interpersonal perceptions were found, indicating that the role of feedback perceptions is most important in situations in which no optimal supervisor–student relationship could be established. Findings imply the importance for master's thesis supervisors of creating friendly and helping relationships with students and if this is problematic, extra care should be taken with giving feedback.     

Two New Statistics to Detect Answer Copying

Two new indices to detect answer copying on a multiple-choice test—S₁ and S₂—were proposed. The S₁ index is similar to the K index (Holland, 1996) and the K₂ index (Sotaridona & Meijer, 2002) but the distribution of the number of matching incorrect answers of the source and the copier is modeled by the Poisson distribution instead of the binomial distribution to improve the detection rate of K and K₂. The S₂ index was proposed to overcome a limitation of the K and K₂ index, namely, their insensitiveness to correct answers copying. The S₂ index incorporates the matching correct answers in addition to the matching incorrect answers. A simulation study was conducted to investigate the usefulness of S₁ and S₂ for 40- and 80-item tests, 100 and 500 sample sizes, and 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% answer copying. The Type I errors and detection rates of S₁ and S₂ were compared with those of the K₂ and the ω copying index (Wollack, 1997). Results showed that all four indices were able to maintain their Type I errors, with S₁ and K₂ being slightly conservative compared to S₂ and ω. Furthermore, S₁ had higher detection rates than K₂. The S₂ index showed a significant improvement in detection rate compared to K and K₂.     

Outlier Detection in High-Stakes Certification Testing

Recent developrnents of person-Jit analysis in computerized adaptive testing (CAT) are discussed. Methods from stutistical process control are presented that have been proposed to classify an item score pattern as fitting or misjitting the underlying item response theory model in CAT. Most person-fit research in CAT is restricted to simulated data. In this study, empirical data from a certification test were used, Alternatives are discussed to generate norms so that bounds can be determined to classify an item score pattern as fitting or misfitting. Using bounds determined from a sample of a high-stakes certification test, the empirical analysis showed that dizerent types of misfit can be distinguished. Further applications using statistical process control methods to detect misfitting item score patterns are discussed.     

Screening the active constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs as potent inhibitors of Cdc25 tyrosine phosphatase, an activator of the mitosis-inducing p34cdc2 kinase

Objective: To screen and evaluate the active constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs as potent inhibitors of Cdc25 phosphatase. Methods: The affinity chromatography purified glutashione-S-transferase/Cdc25A phosphatase fusion protein and Cdc2/cyclin B from the extracts of starfish M phase oocytes are used as the cell cycle-specific targets for screening the antimitotic constituents. We tested 9 extracts isolated from the Chinese medicinal herbs and vegetables including the agents currently used in cancer treatment by measuring the inhibition of Cdc25A phosphatase and Cdc2 kinase activity. The antitumor activity of the extracts was also evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and flow cytometry. Results: Cdc25A inhibitory activity and antitumor activity are detected in the extracts isolated from three Chinese medicinal herbs Agrimona pilosa; Herba solani lyrati; Galla chinesis. Conclusion: We found three extracts isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs have potential inhibitory activity of Cdc25 phosphatase using a highly specific mechanism-based screen assay for antimitotic drug discovery.     

Rationality and politics of algorithms. Will the promise of big data survive the dynamics of public decision making?

Big data promises to transform public decision-making for the better by making it more responsive to actual needs and policy effects. However, much recent work on big data in public decision-making assumes a rational view of decision-making, which has been much criticized in the public administration debate. In this paper, we apply this view, and a more political one, to the context of big data and offer a qualitative study. We question the impact of big data on decision-making, realizing that big data – including its new methods and functions – must inevitably encounter existing political and managerial institutions. By studying two illustrative cases of big data use processes, we explore how these two worlds meet. Specifically, we look at the interaction between data analysts and decision makers. In this we distinguish between a rational view and a political view, and between an information logic and a decision logic. We find that big data provides ample opportunities for both analysts and decision makers to do a better job, but this doesn't necessarily imply better decision-making, because big data also provides opportunities for actors to pursue their own interests. Big data enables both data analysts and decision makers to act as autonomous agents rather than as links in a functional chain. Therefore, big data's impact cannot be interpreted only in terms of its functional promise; it must also be acknowledged as a phenomenon set to impact our policymaking institutions, including their legitimacy.     

Teaching and testing mathematical problem solving by offering optional assistance

Transfer capability is usually defined as theability to apply acquired knowledge and skillsin novel situations.The experiment reported here concerned transferin mathematics education. An experimental programme was constructed, based on strengtheningthe connection of strategic and domain specificknowledge and offering hints during teaching aswell as during testing.Subjects were first graders from secondaryeducation in the Netherlands, from two schools,two classes each. Students from these fourclasses were randomly allocated either to theexperimental or the control group.The experimental computer-supported teachingprogramme was offered once a week during sixweeks; the control group received regularmathematics instruction.After controlling for the effects of thecovariates intelligence, mathematics aptitudeand anxiety, it was shown that the experimentalsubjects performed significantly better on aposttest than subjects in the control group.The results suggest that the experimentalinstruction method enhances mathematics problemsolving ability more strongly than traditionalinstruction. Upon closer examination thiseffect appears to be restricted to subjectsalready relatively high in intelligence andmathematical ability. This finding is notuncommon in intervention research, and issometimes referred to as the Matthew orthe fan-spread effect.     

Exploring scientific,artistic, moral and technical reflection in teacher action research

Reflection in action research is a complicated matter because of the many domains of reflection and most significantly, the lack of understanding of these domains of reflection in action research and how these are supported. In this paper, we propose a framework based on four domains of reflection, namely, scientific, artistic, moral and technical reflection. We describe an initial attempt to use this framework in relation to the actual practice of teacher reflection in action research and show that the framework allowed us to map the various domains of reflection that teachers use in relation to their action research. This helped us to gain insight into the differences and the course of reflection in action research. We discuss how the framework – through orientation, differentiation and deepening – might provide support for reflection in action research.