Teachers in regular classrooms: An applied setting for successful behavior programming

An operant-based program was established to study the effectiveness of regular classroom teachers as mediators for behavior change in regular classroom settings. Fifty-nine first and second graders were matched on several measures and randomly assigned to an experimental condition or a control condition. Experimental children were addressed through teacher-generatedlconsultant-supported behavior intervention strategies. Changes in behavior were examined by assessing differences from initial baseline and from first to second administration of the Child Behavior Checklist. In- class behavior change was significantly greater for the experimental condition than for the control condition, although behavior change from first to second administration of the Child Behavior Checklist was significant for all groups. A moderate to high rate of compliance to the intervention program was maintained by teachers, and moderate to high ratings of satisfaction were obtained for the program from all participants. The effectiveness, feasibility, and applicability of the program are discussed.     

Validity and reliability of a linear positional transducer across commonly practised resistance training exercises

This study investigated the validity and reliability of the GymAware PowerTool (GPT). Thirteen resistance trained participants completed three visits, consisting of three repetitions of free-weight back squat, bench press, deadlift (80% one repetition maximum), and countermovement jump. Bar displacement, peak and mean velocity, peak and mean force, and jump height were calculated using the GPT, a three-dimensional motion capture system (Motion Analysis Corporation; 150 Hz), and a force plate (Kistler; 1500 Hz). Least products regression were used to compare agreeability between devices. A within-trial one-way ANOVA, typical error (TE; %), and smallest worthwhile change (SWC) were used to assess reliability. Regression analysis resulted in R² values of >0.85 for all variables excluding deadlift mean velocity (R² = 0.54–0.69). Significant differences were observed between visits 3-2 for bench press bar displacement (0.395 ± 0.055 m; 0.383 ± 0.053 m), and deadlift bar displacement (0.557 ± 0.034 m; 0.568 ± 0.034 m). No other significant differences were found. Low to moderate TE (0.6–8.8%) were found for all variables, with SWC ranging 1.7–7.4%. The data provides evidence that the GPT can be used to measure kinetic and kinematic outputs, however, care should be taken when monitoring deadlift performance.     

Assessing the acceptability of behavioral interventions used in classrooms

This study examined components of teacher judgements that an intervention is either acceptable or unacceptable. A total of 180 preservice and student teachers were asked to evaluate the acceptability of six different interventions. The evaluations of acceptability were assessed using a 20–item rating scale. A factor analysis of the rating scale yielded one major dimension, a general acceptability factor, and four secondary dimensions of intervention acceptability: risk to the target child, amount of teacher time required, effects of the intervention on other children, and amount of teacher skill required. Results are discussed in terms of designing interventions that are both effective and usable by classroom teachers.     

Accessions: researching,designing higher education

This brief viewpoint piece depicts educational (dis)engagements apparent in researching and (re)designing higher education in and through Accessions. Accessions, a collaborative research-design project, probed at how cultures, climates and conditions of higher education may be reproducing or reshaping social inequalities and divisions. Here, questions are asked about how these might be challenged within and potentially beyond the specific locale of one university campus. This research-design project hopes to enable a critical perspective on issues of ‘participation’, ‘impact’, ‘engagement’ and ‘internationalisation’, where regulations and measures may be resisted and disrupted.     

Coordination variability and skill development in expert triple jumpers

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of skill of expert triple jumpers on the coordination variability of lower extremity intra-limb couplings. In contrast to the traditional motor learning perspective, we hypothesized that as skill and thus performance increases, movement coordination variability will also increase. Three-dimensional kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected during the hop-step transition phase of the triple jump. Relative motion plots and a modified vector coding technique were used to quantify the coordination variability across the trials. The results were consistent with a U-shaped curve, representing coordination variability, as skill increases. The high coordination variability in less skilled athletes is present while the appropriate characteristics defining the movement coordination patterns are acquired. This coordination variability may not be beneficial to performance. As the refinement of these characteristics is achieved, coordination variability decreases, resulting in a more consistent or regulated performance. In the final stages of developing a skilled performance, a functional variability is accessed that brings flexibility to the system allowing it to cope with perturbations. This study highlights the need to address the learning effect when analysing coordination variability from a dynamical systems perspective.