Rapid Response Skills Training

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's (MGCCC) long-term commitment to providing workforce training in a post-Katrina environment became a catalyst for designing short-term flexible educational opportunities. Providing nationally recognized skills training for the recovery/rebuilding of communities challenged the college to develop innovative, rapid response programs for the construction and health care industries.     

Dutch Dyslexia in Adulthood: Core Features and Variety

This study aimed to explore how alphabetic readers learn to read Chinese. First-year Chinese beginning learners who are skilled English readers were tested for their sensitivity to the visual-orthographic structures of Chinese characters. The study also explored the effect of the frequency of the characters in their curriculum on performance of a lexical decision and naming task. The students' linguistic knowledge about the characters was also tested. Results showed that the beginning learners were sensitive to the structural complexity of characters, they accepted simple characters more quickly and more accurately than compound characters, and they responded faster and more accurately to high-frequency than to low-frequency characters. Sensitivity to the structural composition of the character was also revealed: The learners rejected noncharacters containing illegal radical forms faster and more accurately than those containing legal radical forms in illegal positions, which in turn were rejected faster and more accurately than those containing legal radical forms in legal positions. A significant frequency effect was also found in the naming task, though the effect of structural complexity was not significant. These results suggest that perceptual learning plays an important role in early nonalphabetic learning by alphabetic readers. Both cross-writing system differences and second-language status may have an impact on such learning.     

Comparison of 10 vs. 20 min neuromuscular training for the prevention of lower extremity injuries in male youth football: A cluster randomised controlled trial

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 20 min neuromuscular training with a programme of 10 min in youth football players. 342 (15.4 ± 1.7 years) male football players from 18 teams were included, and cluster-randomized by team into two intervention groups. Both groups performed an injury prevention programme twice a week over five months using the same exercises but a different duration. The first intervention group (INT10, n = 175) performed the programme for 10 min, the second intervention group (INT20, n = 167) for 20 min. Primary outcomes were lower extremity (LE) injuries. Secondary outcomes were injury type, severity, mechanism and compliance to the intervention. 13 teams with 185 players were included for final analysis. No significant group difference was found between INT10 (6.37 per 1000 h) and INT20 (7.20 per 1000 h) for the incidence rate ratio of the lower extremities (IRR = 1.03, 95% confidence interval 0.59, 1.79), nor for the distribution of injury location, type, severity or mechanism. The results show that performing preventive exercises for 10 min is no less effective than 20 min in youth football players. Shorter training sessions can, therefore, be effectively used for injury prevention.     

Evaluation of soccer players under the Moneyball concept

ABSTRACT

The recruitment of athletes with limited resources is a global problem in professional sports. In US Major League Baseball, the experience of the Oakland Athletics’ general manager in the last decade turned his “Moneyball” model into a synonym of quantitative analysis in the transfer market of baseball players. His strategy focused on hiring players with outstanding technical skills but relatively low market value. This study adapted this model to the framework of a multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA), by selecting undervalued players who have complementary abilities. The novelty here refers to the joint use of four algorithms explored by the composition of probabilistic preferences (CPP) (i.e., ranking, classification, dynamic evaluation and regularity analysis) and their application to soccer player performance evaluation. The new model analysed the recent transfer of a left-back soccer player to Europe. The results indicated 12 opportunities for better investment, among 32 left and right-back players considered. Two years later, the value of the same player was considerably lower. He played only five matches in the 2018–2019 season, without scoring or providing any assists. On the other hand, the players better classified by the CPP-MB model presented higher performances and market values.     

Mini-research Experience in Simple Linear Regression

Within the undergraduate mathematics curriculum, the topic of simple least-squares linear regression is often first encountered in multi-variable calculus where the line of best fit is obtained by using partial derivatives to find the slope and y-intercept of the line that minimizes the residual sum of squares. A markedly different approach from linear algebra, which could also be introduced in multi-variable calculus, obtains the regression line by vector projection. The latter viewpoint offers elegant proof of the equation relating the total, explained and unexplained variations. Consideration of data with the same regression line and correlation opens the door for a “mini-research experience” (MRE). A sequel MRE gives rise to an open Research Experience for Undergraduates topic to analyze reflection sequences and a fundamental connection between complex analysis and regression analysis. A few general guidelines and basic goals for MREs are included for those whose main interest is in undergraduate research.     

Make or Buy? A Qualitative Analysis of the Organisational Handling of Digital Innovations in the German Book Publishing Sector

Traditional media have been changing in response to digitisation processes and the spread of the internet. This article looks at the consequences of technological change for the organisational structures of publishing houses in Germany, most of which are small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Following any decision to produce digital content, new tasks emerge which need to be fulfilled and publishing houses have to re-allocate appropriate responsibilities. The context of the preference for in-house or for external production is explored as is the precise identification of the managerial and technical skills demanded by a switch to digital publishing. The findings suggest the important role of strategic partnerships with service providers as well as with other publishing houses, especially for larger projects beyond the capabilities of SMEs.     

Internationale Hochschulrankings

Despite disagreement about their validity, reliability and effects, international rankings of universities have become widely used by students and higher education institutions. This article compares three international rankings of universities and analyzes, based on the academic literature, the extent to which they assess relevant aspects of teaching and research and whether these aspects are measured adequately. We study the Academic Ranking of World Universities published by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the World University Ranking published by the British magazine Times Higher Education Supplement and the Excellence Ranking published by the German Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE). The analysis is based on the academic literature about these international rankings and the publications by the rankings’ publishers. We draw conclusions about the design of rankings and develop further research questions.