Biomechanical analysis of the change in pistol shooting format in modern pentathlon

Abstract

Despite the importance of the Combined Event to the modern pentathlon competition, little is known about performance in the event. This study aimed to (i) identify the key variables affecting Combined Event shooting performance, and the extent to which these corresponded with those identified for precision shooting and (ii) investigate the impact of changing shooting format, and whether more successful precision shooters were also more successful in the Combined Event. Seven modern pentathletes and three pistol shooters completed precision and Combined Event trials. An opto-electronic shooting system recorded score and pistol movements, whilst force platforms recorded centre of pressure movements 1 s prior to every shot. Intra-individual analysis revealed that the extent of associations between variables was participant-specific, highlighting the need for individual analysis of performance. No participants displayed matching associations between variables for precision and Combined Event shooting, emphasising the difference between performances in the two events. Both groups experienced significantly reduced scores, and increased pistol and body movements for Combined Event shooting (P < 0.05). Despite the pistol shooters’ greater precision shooting ability, no significant differences were evident between the groups’ Combined Event performances (P > 0.05). This implies that experience in one event does not guarantee success in the other, indicating the importance of event specific training.     

ONE TEACHER, TWO LESSONS: THE LESSON STUDY PROCESS

In this paper, we analyze 2 lessons by 1 teacher that took place during a lesson study (LS) cycle for a team of elementary mathematics teachers. We analyze the data on 2 levels: macro-level analysis, dealing with lesson structure and setting; and micro-level analysis, zooming in on mathematical tasks and the quality of whole-class discussion. We analyze teacher participation in LS to identify the main mechanisms leading to changes in teaching observed between the 2 lessons. We argue that collaborative noticing, collaborative awareness, and brainstorming are the core mechanisms of teacher change in the course of LS.     

Social Competence of Learning Disabled Children: Cognitive and Emotional Aspects

The aim of the study was to investigate the structure of social competence among learning disabled children, as reported by themselves and their teachers, and the cognitive and emotional aspects that mediate its level. The sample consisted of 40 learning disabled children and 37 matched nondisabled children. Within Harter's competence model and Schaefer's spherical model, the learning disabled group demonstrated lower levels of competence and adjustment and a less mature concept of competence than did their peers. The social competence of the learning disabled children was accounted for by emotional and physical aspects of competence, similar to that found in younger and in children with an intellectual disability, whereas the social competence of the nondisabled peers was accounted for by a combination of academic, cognitive and self‐esteem aspects. Teachers rated the social competence of both groups of children as mediated by introversion and general competence. However, teachers added physical competence to the explanation of the learning disabled group's social competence, whereas they added task orientation to the explanation for the nondisabled group. Intervention planning should be geared toward increasing the social competence of LD children, through alerting teachers to their less mature self‐competence concept, with its special emphasis on nonacademic aspects.     

Exploring cultures of feedback practice: the adoption of learning-focused feedback practices in the UK and Australia

ABSTRACT

In recent years, there have been calls in the literature for the dominant model of feedback to shift away from the transmission of comments from marker to student, towards a more dialogic focus on student engagement and the impact of feedback on student learning. In the present study, we sought to gain insight into the extent to which such a shift is evident in practice, and how practice is shaped by national and disciplinary cultures. A total of 688 higher education staff from the UK and Australia completed a survey, in which we collected data pertaining to key influences on the design of feedback, and the extent to which emphasis is placed on student action following feedback. Our respondents reported that formal learning and development opportunities have less influence on feedback practice than informal learning and development, and prior experience. Australian respondents placed greater emphasis on student action following feedback than their counterparts in the UK, and were also more likely than UK respondents to judge the effectiveness of feedback by seeking evidence of its impact on student learning. We contextualise these findings within the context of disciplinary and career stage differences in our data. By demonstrating international differences in the adoption of learning-focused feedback practices, the findings indicate directions for the advancement of feedback research and practice in contemporary higher education.     

Departmental Dialogues: Facilitating Positive Academic Climates to Improve Equity in STEM Disciplines

This exploratory qualitative study examined faculty responses to a collegiality-building process called Dialogues. The process used a series of discussions and activities to guide faculty members toward a common, mutually beneficially goal, while changing patterns of interaction. The responses revealed how faculty members experienced collegiality-building practices, including individual reflection, small group discussions, idea generation and prioritization, and consensus-building. The study examined faculty responses within STEM departments. We conclude with recommendations for encouraging inclusive and participatory departmental norms and behaviors in order to promote a positive departmental climate, which is crucial to achieving equity in all disciplines of the academia.     

Motivations and Perceived Benefits of Older Learners in a Public Continuing Education Program: Influence of Gender,Income, and Health

The demographic shift towards an older population combined with the increasing demand for self-reliance and community-based care for the elderly calls for a thorough examination of continuing education programs in local communities as a viable means of promoting successful and active aging. This study examined patterns of older adults’ motivations for, and perceived benefits from, participating in a publicly funded local continuing education program in relationship with their gender, income, and self-perceived general health. Six hundred ninety-nine learners over 60 years old were surveyed. The study found both commonalities as well as distinct patterns of difference due to the influence of gender, income, and health. The results of the study provide validation and additional knowledge to buttress previous studies, while underscoring the necessity for further research on older adults’ participation, motivations, and benefits in the intersection with sociodemographic and health factors. The findings of this study also reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and developing an affordable, accessible, and inclusive continuing education program in local communities for achieving successful and active aging for all.     

‘We believe in every child as an individual’: Nursery school head teachers’ understandings of ‘quality’ in early years education

This article addresses the issue of ‘quality’ in early years education, with the aim of highlighting the voices of nursery school head teachers. Government early years achievement statistics display a reductive and de-contextualised focus on young children’s developmental outcomes, with measures of the percentage of 5-year-olds achieving a ‘good level of development’ at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Early years practitioner understandings of ‘quality’ are more sophisticated and multi-dimensional, and yet are marginalised in debates around what constitutes ‘quality’ early years provision and around what are desired outcomes for young children and how these can be achieved. Using qualitative data from interviews with nursery school head teachers and classroom teachers from across England, the article analyses these participants’ understandings of ‘quality’ early years provision. The study finds a consensus amongst these teachers that quality provision emanates from the professional skills of staff providing education for the whole child and their wellbeing: they conceive of ‘quality’ as relating to a depth of understanding of each child as an individual, enabling the child to progress in their learning.