Determinants of possession of the ball in soccer

Abstract

In research on the importance of the possession of the ball in soccer, little attention has been paid to its determinants. Using data from 170 matches of the 2003 – 2004 Spanish Soccer League, we explain why differences in the possession of the ball among teams are so great. In particular, four variables are examined: evolving match status (i.e. whether the team is winning, losing or drawing), venue (i.e. playing at home or away), and the identities of the team and the opponent in each match. Results of linear regression analysis show that these four variables are statistically significant and together explain most of the variance in possession. In short, home teams have more possession than away teams, teams have more possession when they are losing matches than when winning or drawing, and the identity of the opponent matters – the worse the opponent, the greater the possession of the ball. Combinations of these variables could be used to develop a model that predicts possession in soccer.     

The Mutual Symbiosis Between Inclusive Bi-lingual Education and Multicultural Education

In this article the authors postulate a mutual symbiosis between multicultural and inclusive bi-lingual education. Combining bi-lingual and multicultural education to create a symbiotic relationship can stimulate reform in schools and can promote inclusive educational systems, thereby keeping native languages and cultures alive for minority students and enhancing native English speakers’ language and cultural understandings.     

Engaging in science practices in classrooms predicts increases in undergraduates' STEM motivation,identity, and achievement: A short-term longitudinal study

Our short-term longitudinal study explored undergraduate students' experiences with performing authentic science practices in the classroom in relation to their science achievement and course grades. In addition, classroom experiences (felt recognition as a scientist and perceived classroom climate) and changes over a 10-week academic term in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) identity and motivation were tested as mediators. The sample comprised 1,079 undergraduate students from introductory biology classrooms (65.4% women, 37.6% Asian, 30.2% White, 25.1% Latinx). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), our hypothesized model was confirmed while controlling for class size and GPA. Performing science practices (e.g., hypothesizing or explaining results) positively predicted students' felt recognition as a scientist; and felt recognition positively predicted perceived classroom climate. In turn, felt recognition and classroom climate predicted increases over time in students' STEM motivation (expectancy-value beliefs), STEM identity, and STEM career aspirations. Finally, these factors predicted students' course grade. Both recognition as a scientist and positive classroom climate were more strongly related to outcomes among underrepresented minority (URM) students. Findings have implications for why large-format courses that emphasize opportunities for students to learn science practices are related to positive STEM outcomes, as well as why they may prove especially helpful for URM students. Practical implications include the importance of recognition as a scientist from professors, teaching assistants, and classmates in addition to curriculum that engages students in the authentic practices of science.     

Validity of academic work indicators in the projected European Higher Education Area

The competencies achieved, the quantity and distribution of the time employed, and the activities carried out by the student are fundamental elements of the future European Higher Education Area. The present study explores, in a specific course, the current level of some indicators of such elements and their validity. The results highlight the irrelevance of the temporal aspects with respect to final performance, and the relevance of the academic work activities to performance over the length of the course. Each indicator is discussed, and it is intended to further those which result to be relevant for the success of the student in the future, and to limit those temporal elements to a mere function of organization of the universities.     

Evaluation of two interventions to reduce aggressive and antisocial behavior in first and second graders in a resource-poor setting

We conducted a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (n = 2491) to evaluate a teacher delivered intervention to reduce aggressive and antisocial behavior and increase prosocial behavior in the classroom. A second aim of this trial was to establish whether combining this intervention with an intervention for parents was better than the teacher-only intervention. This evaluation was conducted in a resource-poor setting (Pereira, Colombia). The findings show that both interventions prevented increases in aggressive and antisocial behavior. However, the teacher-only intervention also had a positive impact on increasing prosocial behavior.     

Exploring the relationships between emotional intelligence and the use of knowledge transfer methods in the project environment

This exploratory investigation contributes empirical findings on the relationship between emotional intelligence and the use of knowledge transfer methods in the project environment. Emotional intelligence can be generally defined as the ability to effectively recognize and manage emotions to achieve individual and/or group objectives. Knowledge transfer has been generally defined as the process in which knowledge flows from knowledge sources to knowledge recipients. An exploratory hypothesis was tested using data collected from project managers and members of project teams from a variety of project-based organizations. The findings of this study suggest that there are noteworthy relationships between emotional intelligence factors and the use of specific methods to transfer knowledge within and across projects. The results of this investigation can be used by knowledge management researchers as a foundation for further research and development in the area of knowledge transfer and sharing in the project environment.     

E‐books in practice: the librarian's perspective

It has become unimaginable to provide information – particularly scientific information – without e‐books. They have become part of today's combination of media, which includes printed books and journals, e‐journals, e‐books, and databases. When e‐books first appeared on the market, librarians very quickly formulated their key requirements. The most important requirement is functionality: it must be possible to look through a book chapter by chapter, and also to get a quick overview of a comprehensive monograph. Usage arrangements, including concurrent usage and use for interlibrary loans, are also important. The use of uniform technical standards increases the acceptance of e‐books.     

Embodied cognition as grounding for situatedness and context in mathematics education

In this paper we analyze, from the perspective of 'Embodied Cognition', why learning and cognition are situated and context-dependent. We argue that the nature of situated learning and cognition cannot be fully understood by focusing only on social, cultural and contextual factors. These factors are themselves further situated and made comprehensible by the shared biology and fundamental bodily experiences of human beings. Thus cognition itself is embodied, and the bodily-grounded nature of cognition provides a foundation for social situatedness, entails a reconceptualization of cognition and mathematics itself, and has important consequences for mathematics education. After framing some theoretical notions of embodied cognition in the perspective of modern cognitive science, we analyze a case study – continuity of functions. We use conceptual metaphor theory to show how embodied cognition, while providing grounding for situatedness, also gives fruitful results in analyzing the cognitive difficulties underlying the understanding of continuity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Geometrical representations in the learning of two-variable functions

This study is part of a project concerned with the analysis of how students work with two-variable functions. This is of fundamental importance given the role of multivariable functions in mathematics and its applications. The portion of the project we report here concentrates on investigating the relationship between students’ notion of subsets of Cartesian three-dimensional space and the understanding of graphs of two-variable functions. APOS theory and Duval’s theory of semiotic representations are used as theoretical framework. Nine students, who had taken a multivariable calculus course, were interviewed. Results show that students’ understanding can be related to the structure of their schema for R³ and to their flexibility in the use of different representations.