Learning the principles of simulation using the birthday problem

Using the famous Birthday problem, we present here a practical activity that allows students to perceive the basic reasoning behind simulation and explore its potential. Through a playful approach with probabilities, students are led along a path that illustrates difficulties with intuition and introduces them to theoretical results for sample proportions.     

Using formative assessment to promote argumentation in a university bilingual science course

Formative assessment, bilingualism, and argumentation when combined can enrich bilingual scientific literacy. However, argumentation receives little attention in the practice of bilingual science education. This article describes the effect of a formative assessment-based pedagogical strategy in promoting university students’ argumentation. It examines the written and oral arguments produced by 54 undergraduates (28 females and 26 males, 16–21 years old) in Colombia during a university bilingual (Spanish-English) science course. The data used in this analysis was derived from students’ written responses, and audio and video recordings. The first goal of this study was to determine how this teaching strategy could help students increase the use of English as a means of communication in argumentation in science. The second goal was to establish the potential of the strategy to engage students in argumentative classroom interactions as an essential part of formative assessment. The findings show that the strategy provided participants with opportunities to write their argumentation in Spanish, in English and in a hybrid version using code-switching. Educational implications for higher education are discussed.     

Observer based sliding mode controller for vehicles with roll dynamics

In this work, considering the roll dynamics and actuator dynamics, an observer-based control scheme for a vehicle is proposed. The proposal considers a nonlinear higher order sliding mode observer to estimate unmeasurable lateral velocity, roll angle and roll velocity. Using the observer information, a controller based on block control with sliding mode technique is designed for the reference trajectory tracking of the lateral and yaw velocities of the vehicle. The stability of the complete closed-loop system including zero dynamics is analyzed. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated through CarSim simulations.     

Reflection-on-action learning through traditional games. The case of la pelota sentada (sitting ball) / Aprendizaje basado en la reflexión sobre la acción a través de los juegos tradicionales. El caso de la pelota sentada

Traditional paradoxical games enable democratic social encounters as well as reflective skills to be fostered among students. The rules of these games, of which the game pelota sentada (sitting ball) is an example, afford players autonomy to decide either to cooperate with other participants (to release or keep others free) or to oppose them (to capture free players). The aim of this study was to investigate the reflection-on-action about decisions (strategies), relationships and emotions of the participants in the game sitting ball when in the role of free player in possession of the ball. Undergraduate degree students (n = 106) in physical activity and sport sciences took part. After the game, the players answered reflection-on-action open-ended and close-ended questions about their strategies, relationships and emotions. Four experts followed a validated directed and summative approach to the content analysis of 742 comments, using ATLAS.ti software. The findings highlight that decisions, relationships and emotions are distinct yet intertwined dimensions of the same phenomenon: motor conduct in the game pelota sentada (sitting ball).     

Exploring the perspectives of physically active and inactive adolescents: how does physical education influence their lifestyles?

Based on a socio-ecological framework for physical education (PE), this study explored and analysed the perspectives of physically active and inactive adolescent boys and girls with different socioeconomic status (SES), regarding the meanings that PE had on their physical activity (PA) lifestyles throughout childhood and adolescence. An interpretative and qualitative design was adopted and operationalised through an individual two-hours in-depth interview. Thematic analysis identified five main themes that distinguish active from inactive adolescents: ‘Early experiences of PE at primary school’; ‘PE experiences in middle and secondary school’; ‘Friendly, professional and pedagogue. That’s what I want from my PE teacher’; ‘Friends in PE and PA’; ‘Active lifestyles? Are schools and PE ready for making a difference?…’. Regardless of the lifestyle, girls revealed more PE negative experiences, related to uninteresting and competitive activities, groups’ constitution and logistic factors. SES played a major role on their PA and PE experiences, with low SES adolescents having limited opportunities inclusively within the primary school PE context. This study provides evidence for the importance of promoting positive PE and PA experiences in early years. Based on adolescents’ voices, several recommendations are discussed that can be considered for improving PE professionals’ effectiveness in promoting active lifestyles.     

The transfer of strength and power into the stroke biomechanics of young swimmers over a 34-week period

The purpose of this study was to learn the interplay between dry-land strength and conditioning, and stroke biomechanics in young swimmers, during a 34-week training programme. Twenty-seven swimmers (overall: 13.33?±?0.85 years old; 11 boys: 13.5?±?0.75 years old; 16 girls: 13.2?±?0.92 years old) competing at regional- and national-level competitions were evaluated. The swimmers were submitted to a specific in-water and dry-land strength training over 34 weeks (and evaluated at three time points: pre-, mid-, and post-test; M1, M2, and M3, respectively). The 100-m freestyle performance was chosen as the main outcome (i.e. dependent variable). The arm span (AS; anthropometrics), throwing velocity (TV; strength), stroke length (SL), and stroke frequency (SF; kinematics) were selected as independent variables. There was a performance enhancement over time (M1 vs. M3: 68.72?±?5.57?s, 66.23?±?5.23?s; Δ?=??3.77%; 95% CI: ?3.98;?3.56) and an overall improvement of the remaining variables. At M1 and M2, all links between variables presented significant effects (p?p?≤?.05). Between M1 and M3, the direct effect of the TV to the stroke biomechanics parameters (SL and SF) increased. The model predicted 89%, 88%, and 92% of the performance at M1, M2, and M3, respectively, with a reasonable adjustment (i.e. goodness-of-fit M1: χ²/df?=?3.82; M2: χ²/df?=?3.08; M3: χ²/df?=?4.94). These findings show that strength and conditioning parameters have a direct effect on the stroke biomechanics, and the latter one on the swimming performance.     

Physical activity and school recess time: differences between the sexes and the relationship between children's playground physical activity and habitual physical activity

The aims of this study were: (1) to observe participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school recess periods; (2) to determine the relative importance of physical activity during recesses to overall daily physical activity; and (3) to examine differences in physical activity between the sexes during unstructured recess periods. The participants were 22 school children (10 boys, 12 girls) aged 8 - 10 years (mean = 8.9, s = 0.7) in the third and fourth grades. Daily totals for the physical activity variables were calculated by summing the values for each hour of 14 h of physical activity measurements (08:00 to 22:00 h). Recess times (minutes) were as follows: morning 10:30 to 11:00 h and afternoon 15:30 to 16:00 h. We did not differences between boys and girls in daily total accelerometer counts or the overall time spent in MVPA. However, girls were significantly (P < 0.05) more involved (38%) in MVPA during recess time than boys (31%). Participation in MVPA during recess contributes significantly more (P < 0.05) for girls (19%) than boys (15%) to the total amount of physical activity suggested by international health-related physical activity guidelines, while the percentage of time engaged in MVPA during recess time at school accounts for a small amount of the daily MVPA (6% for boys and 8% for girls). The results of this study suggest that school recess time is an important setting to promote MVPA and contributes to daily physical activity in young children, especially in girls.     

Free operant measurement of taste preferences in prosimian primates

The sucrose preferences of two prosimian primate species, slow loris and greater galago, were determined under aperiodic reinforcement of a free operant. Stimuli were solutions of the following concentrations: 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Solutions of intermediate concentration were preferred, and thus the function relating barpresses to concentrations was nonmonotonic.     

Item response theory and the measurement of motor behavior

Item response theory (IRT) has been the focus of intense research and development activity in educational and psychological measurement during the past decade. Because this theory can provide more precise information about test items than other theories usually used in measuring motor behavior, the application of IRT in physical education and exercise science merits investigation. In IRT, the difficulty level of each item (e.g., trial or task) can be estimated and placed on the same scale as the ability of the examinee. Using this information, the test developer can determine the ability levels at which the test functions best. Equating the scores of individuals on two or more items or tests can be handled efficiently by applying IRT. The precision of the identification of performance standards in a mastery test context can be enhanced, as can adaptive testing procedures. In this tutorial, several potential benefits of applying IRT to the measurement of motor behavior were described. An example is provided using bowling data and applying the graded-response form of the Rasch IRT model. The data were calibrated and the goodness of fit was examined. This analysis is described in a step-by-step approach. Limitations to using an IRT model with a test consisting of repeated measures were noted.     

Le point de vue du démographe

Résumé Le point de vue de démographe remarque qu'il y a eu une confusion terminologique. L'EmP doit aborder les questions sociales, religieuses et politiques. Les premiers programmes de planification familiale ont donc été élargis pour inclure la migration, l'espérance de vie et la santé publique, mais d'importantes sections de la population restent mal instruites en matières de démographie. Chaque système d'éducation doit décider comment faire pour mieux intégrer ces questions dans ses curricula.

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The demographer's point of view remarks that there has been a confusion of terms. Population education has to address social, religious and political issues. Early programmes of family planning have therefore been widened to include migration, life expectancy and public health, but large sections of the population remain ill-informed on demographic questions. Each educational system has to decide how best to integrate them into its curricula.

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Zusammenfassung Im Standpunkt des Demographen wird auf eine Verwechslung der Bedeutung der Begriffe hingewiesen. Bevölkerungslehre muß soziale, religiöse und politische Themen beinhalten. Die frühen Programme zur Familienplanung wurden daher erweitert und umfassen nunmehr Migration, die Lebenserwartung und die öffentliche Gesundheit, aber breite Bevölkerungsschichten bleiben über demographische Fragen schlecht informiert. Für jedes Bildungssystem muß separat entschieden werden, wie diese Fragen in das Curriculum integriert werden können.