Kinematic analysis of the double side kick in pointfighting,kickboxing

The double side kick is a frequently used technique in pointfighting on which most offensive kicking techniques are based on. The aim of the study was to identify parameters, e.g., trunk and leg positions, durations and velocities that affect successful technique execution.

44 fighters, male and female, including European and World champions, participated in the research. The participants performed double side kicks to a punching bag with the target at chest level. 10 international experts scored (1–10 points; interrater correlation ICC (3,1): 0.952) videos of the best individual trial for quality of technique execution. Based on the average of the scores participants were categorised into 2 equally sized groups. For kinematic data acquisition, a Vicon 3D-motion capturing system was used. The normalised knee height of the kick leg (KHK), normalised absolute distance to the frontal shoulder (DKS) at the end of both chambering phases, the horizontal velocity during both chambering phases (KEV), the durations of all 6 functional phases and total duration, were analysed.

KHK1, KHK2, DKS1 and DKS2, total duration as well as 4 out of 6 phase durations and KEV1 showed significant differences between groups in two-sided t-test or Mann–Whitney U-test for not normally distributed variables.     

How players exploit variability and regularity of game actions in female volleyball teams

Variability analysis has been used to understand how competitive constraints shape different behaviours in team sports. In this study, we analysed and compared variability of tactical performance indices in players within complex I at two different competitive levels in volleyball. We also examined whether variability was influenced by set type and period. Eight matches from the 2012 Olympics competition and from the Portuguese national league in the 2014–2015 season were analysed (1496 rallies). Variability of setting conditions, attack zone, attack tempo and block opposition was assessed using Shannon entropy measures. Magnitude-based inferences were used to analyse the practical significance of compared values of selected variables. Results showed differences between elite and national teams for all variables, which were co-adapted to the competitive constraints of set type and set periods. Elite teams exploited system stability in setting conditions and block opposition, but greater unpredictability in zone and tempo of attack. These findings suggest that uncertainty in attacking actions was a key factor that could only be achieved with greater performance stability in other game actions. Data suggested how coaches could help setters develop the capacity to play at faster tempos, diversifying attack zones, especially at critical moments in competition.     

Learning to live together. The contribution of school

The paper we present is a biographical qualitative study on the school experience and its repercussions on the lives of young people. The paper has two aims: (1) to understand the repercussions of school experiences on the construction of personal identity, and (2) to incorporate the voices of alumni into a reflection on the present and future challenges facing primary education. The study is framed by the movement known as student voice. For this purpose, the interpretations ex-students were collected through in-depth interviews. The conclusions reveal the persistent effects of the school experience over the years as young people establish a sense of identity. The young people explain the attitudes and abilities that make up their way of living, and they relate this to what they learned in their early childhood and primary education.     

Teacher education and the choice to enter the teaching profession: A prospective study

This two-wave survey study aimed at testing a hypothetical model of teacher education graduates’ decisions about whether or not to take a teaching position upon graduation. The model focuses on the relationship between teacher education and graduates’ choice on job entrance. Using path analysis and logistic regression, this model was tested in a sample of student teachers (n = 436), subsequently graduates (n = 251) of teacher training for secondary education. The results validate the relationship between teacher education variables and nearly graduates’ intention to enter the teaching profession. Furthermore, this intention proves an imperative predictor of graduates’ actual entrance.     

Causes and consequences of academics’ emotions in private higher education institutions: implications for policy and practice through the lens of affective events theory

Educational Research for Policy and Practice - This study aims at testing a few tenets of affective events theory (AET) from a predictive perspective in the context of Malaysian private higher...     

Assessment of Autism Symptoms From 6 to 18 Months of Age Using the Autism Observation Scale for Infants in a Prospective High-Risk Cohort

The objectives were to characterize behavioral signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in younger siblings of diagnosed children (high-risk; HR) and examine classification features of the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). Participants (501 HR and 180 low-risk [LR]) were assessed between 6 and 18 months using the AOSI and at age 3 for ASD diagnoses. Total AOSI scores differentiated HR infants later diagnosed with ASD starting at 12 months. ROC analyses identified 12- and 18-month cutoff scores associated with 0.52 sensitivity and 0.74 specificity and 0.73 sensitivity and 0.65 specificity, respectively. Although classification accuracy does not support use as a standalone screen, the AOSI identifies features associated with ASD starting at 6 months and differentiates HR infants with ASD by 12 months.