USING ITEM RESPONSE THEORY TO CONDUCT A DISTRACTER ANALYSIS ON CONCEPTUAL INVENTORY OF NATURAL SELECTION

Concept inventories are often used to assess current student understanding although conceptual change models are problematic. Due to controversies with conceptual change models and the realities of student assessment, it is important that concept inventories are evaluated using a variety of theoretical models to improve quality. This study used a modified item response theory model to determine university nonmajor biology students’ levels of understanding of natural selection (n = 1,192). Using Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection, we have reported how we applied Bock’s modified nominal item response theory model and the distracter test item analysis. We found that the use of this model can define student levels of understanding and identify problematic distracters.     

Exercise-based injury prevention in football

Injuries—a major concern in a high-intensity contact sport like football—are associated with possible short- and long-term harmful consequences for the individual, the team and club as well as for the whole society. Consequently, there is need for effective injury prevention in football at all levels of play, in all age groups and in both genders. The present review summarizes the current scientific evidence focusing on exercise-based injury prevention and presenting promising prevention strategies in different football populations and settings. There is convincing evidence that multimodal exercise-based injury prevention programs (IPP) can reduce injury incidence by more than 30% in athletes of different age groups and in both genders. Although relevant effects have already been shown for short sessions, increased frequency and regular integration into normal practice may increase efficacy up to an injury reduction of 50%. Most programs last about 15?min and can easily replace traditional warm-up programs. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that IPP beneficially affect neuromuscular performance parameters and biomechanical movement characteristics, which are associated with injury risk. There remains, however, a major gap between research on the short-term efficacy and long-term intervention strategies. IPP should be implemented continuously and with high fidelity as training effects are transient. It is crucial that future studies report implementation components in detail in order to facilitate the replication of successful interventions.