A quest for meta-learning gains in a physics serious game

This paper describes how a short, repeated and structured opportunity to reflect was integrated in the storyline of a serious game in order to stimulate the development of a meta-cognitive skill: the ability to self-assess the degree of confidence in own answers. An empirical validation of the approach, conducted with 28 secondary school pupils, delivers an uncommon pattern: while the cognitive benefits—the acquisition of academic knowledge in optics—are negligible and mixed up, the meta-cognitive gains present a raising tendency. The experiment also demonstrates that reflection does not necessarily hamper the game flow, if certain conditions, discussed in the paper, are met.     

Reading,writing, and math self-concept in elementary school children: influence of dimensional comparison processes

The internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model (Marsh, Am Educ Res J 23:129–149, 1986) conceptualizes students' self-concepts as being formed by dimensional as well as social comparison processes. In the present study, the I/E model was tested and extended in a sample of elementary school children. Core academic skills of reading, writing, and math were related to corresponding and non-corresponding self-concept facets to determine the onset of dimensional contrast effects. School achievement and domain-specific academic self-concepts of 1,114 students from grades 1 to 3 were assessed. Negative paths were found for math achievement on reading self-concept and for reading achievement on math self-concept in the third grade. Math achievement was not associated negatively with writing self-concept. Positive influences were found within the verbal domain for writing achievement on reading self-concept from grade 1 onward. The results suggest a broad interpretation of the I/E model in which contrast as well as assimilation effects are possible. Factors influencing the dimensional comparison processes are discussed.     

Models and messengers of resilience: a theoretical model of college students’ resilience,regulatory strategy use,and academic achievement

We tested a theoretical model of college students’ ratings of messengers of resilience and models of resilience, students’ own perceived resilience, regulatory strategy use and achievement. A total of 116 undergraduates participated in this study. The results of a path analysis indicated that ratings of models of resilience had a direct effect on students’ perceived resilience and that perceived resilience directly influenced regulatory strategy use (i.e. effort regulation, self-regulation and time management), which influenced academic achievement (as measured by grade point average). The implications of our findings are further discussed, along with avenues for future research.     

Vertical ground reaction force responses to different head-out aquatic exercises performed in water and on dry land

The purpose was to analyse the vertical ground reaction forces (Fz) of head-out aquatic exercises [stationary running (SR), frontal kick (FK), cross-country skiing (CCS), jumping jacks (JJ), adductor hop (ADH) and abductor hop (ABH)] at two cadences in both aquatic and dry land environments. Twelve young women completed two sessions in each environment, each consisting of three exercises performed at two cadences (first and second ventilatory thresholds – C1 and C2, respectively). Two-way and three-way repeated measures analysis of variance were used to the statistical analysis. The results showed that the peak Fz and impulse were significantly lower in the aquatic environment, resulting in values from 28.2% to 58.5% and 60.4% to 72.8% from those obtained on dry land, respectively. In the aquatic environment, the peak Fz was lower and the impulse was higher at the C1 than at the C2. Furthermore, it was observed that SR and FK (0.9–1.1 BW) elicited a significantly higher peak Fz values compared to the ADH and JJ exercises (0.5–0.8 BW). It can be concluded that the aquatic environment reduces the Fz during head-out aquatic exercises. It should be noted that its magnitude is also dependent on the intensity and the identity of the exercise performed.