The effect of video-feedback on the learning of the tennis service by intermediate players

Effects of video-feedback on improvement of the tennis service were investigated in subjects having at least 2 years of playing experience in tennis. The experiment was carried out in an indoor tennis hall under normal training conditions. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups: a video-feedback training (VFT) group, a traditional training (TT) group and a control group, each consisting of 22 subjects. While the subjects of the control group received no training at all, subjects in both the VFT and TT groups were trained twice weekly during 5 consecutive weeks. Each training session lasted 40 min, of which 30 min was spent on actual practice in training of the service. The remaining 10 min was spent on watching, analysing and discussing video recordings of either their own service performed during the training session (VFT group), or ground strokes and volleys of top level players (TT group). Both the VFT and TT group showed significantly greater improvements in both achievement scores and form (technique) scores than did the control group. No differences, however, could be demonstrated between the VFT and TT group, indicating that the subjects of the former group did not benefit from the video-feedback they received. While form scores correlated significantly (P less than 0.001) with the velocity of the served ball, no such relation between form scores and spatial accuracy was apparent.     

When Herbert met Ken: understanding the 100 languages of creativity

The paper proposes a thought experiment written in the spirit of Tom Stoppard's Travesties in which some major contemporary thinkers on and actors of creativity and culture are brought together in the same imagined space through the conceit of a (faulty) memory play. ‘Actors’ are drawn from the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education (NACCCE, 19991, the Gulbenkian Committee (1981) and the Joint Council for Education through Art (1957). The paper suggests a series of hypothetical conversations between educationalists from the 1950s to the 2000s who have been engaged with developing arts and cultural education and creativity in our schools. It aims to establish what we have learnt about the discourses of creativity ‐ and what impact this may have had in our classrooms. It concludes with a speculative trial between a Professor Ken Robinson of 1999, adjudged by a Sir Herbert Read of 1957. Nick Owen is a Liverpool‐based film maker and researcher who has recently completed a PhD scholarship at the University of Hull. The scholarship, funded by Creative Partnerships, focused on developing pedagogies for creativity in contexts in which artists and educators work together.     

Building Your Licensing and Negotiation Skills Toolkit

Licensing and the negotiating of electronic resources can be a daunting task for librarians who lack the proper skill sets and are unfamiliar with the intricacies of publisher agreements. Claire Dygert broke down the individual elements of a standard licensing agreement and explained the importance of protecting the rights of libraries. By providing insight from her years of experience, librarians learned how to develop a support network, build confidence, and be more effective negotiators.     

The effect of breast support and breast pain on upper-extremity kinematics during running: implications for females with large breasts

The relationship between inappropriate breast support and upper-extremity kinematics for female runners is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of breast support and breast pain on upper-extremity kinematics during running. Eleven female recreational runners with larger breasts (UK D and E cup) completed a 7 min 20 s treadmill run (2.58 m · s^?1) in a high and low breast support condition. Multi-planar breast and upper-extremity kinematic data were captured in each breast support condition by eight infrared cameras for 30 s towards the end of the run. Breast pain was rated at the end of each treadmill run using a numeric analogue scale. The high support bra reduced breast kinematics and decreased breast pain (P < 0.05). Upper-extremity kinematics did not differ between breast support conditions (P > 0.05), although some moderate positive correlations were found between thorax range of motion and breast kinematics (r = 0.54 to 0.73). Thorax and arm kinematics do not appear to be influenced by breast support level in female runners with large breasts. A high support bra that offers good multi-planar breast support is recommended for female runners with larger breasts to reduce breast pain.