The effect of elevating the heels on spinal kinematics and kinetics during the back squat in trained and novice weight trainers

ABSTRACT

This research assessed the influence of various heel elevation conditions on spinal kinematic and kinetic data during loaded (25% and 50% of body weight) high-bar back squats. Ten novice (mass 67.6 ± 12.4 kg, height 1.73 ± 0.10 m) and ten regular weight trainers (mass 66.0 ± 10.7 kg, height 1.71 ± 0.09 m) completed eight repetitions at each load wearing conventional training shoes standing on the flat level floor (LF) and on an inclined board (EH). The regular weight training group performed an additional eight repetitions wearing weightlifting shoes (WS). Statistical parametric mapping (SPM1D) and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to assess differences in spinal curvature and kinetics across the shoe/floor conditions and loads. SPM1D analyses indicated that during the LF condition the novice weight trainers had greater moments around L4/L5 than the regular weight trainers during the last 20% of the lift (P < 0.05), with this difference becoming non-significant during the EH condition. This study indicates that from a perspective of spinal safety, it appears advantageous for novice weight trainers to perform back squats with their heels slightly elevated, while regular weight trainers appear to realize only limited benefits performing back squats with either EH or WS.     

Fear Appeals in Health Communication: Should the Receivers’ Nationality or Cultural Orientation be Taken into Account?

This study investigated the influence of both nationality and cultural orientation on reactions to fear appeal messages including a self-targeted or a family-targeted threat. Participants from Spain (n = 138) and from the Netherlands (n = 127) either read a version of a story that accentuated the misery of a girl suffering from chlamydia, or a version that focused on her parents’ sorrow. Cultural orientation was assessed using a scale for measuring individualism and collectivism, and a scale for measuring familism. Contrary to claims from the earlier studies, neither nationality nor cultural orientation proved to interact with message version on any of the outcome variables.     

Learning Networks in German Schools and Teacher Education

In the nationwide project “Schulen ans Netz” in Germany a network will be created to give a support for information, communication and collaboration of schools, universities and institutes. In the IKARUS project at the University of Dortmund a multimedia learning environment is being developed and evaluated to educate teacher students on the topic of Information and Communication Technology. It integrates the information, communication and collaboration aspects of the media in a study laboratory.     

The pupils’ view of electricity

Chemistry lessons were observed in the 8th grade of two West German schools over a period of a term. Boys received more attention from the teacher than girls. They were called on more often and they spontaneously gave their opinions more frequently. An equal proportion of girls’ and boys’ replies were praised and encouraged, but this meant that boys received more praise and encouragement in absolute terms. Teachers should be made aware of the problematic nature of their own behaviour, so that they can remove the discrimination against girls in chemistry education.     

Dopingkontrollen in Deutschland

The aim of the present study was to gather information from athletes and doping control officials about their satisfaction and acceptance concerning the accomplishment of the doping control system (DCS) in Germany. 761 high elite athletes and 101 doping control officers took part in a written survey. Special attention was given to the subjective estimation of knowledge about the DCS as well as to their experiences during doping controls (DC) and on the whereabouts system.Three quarters of the responding athletes stated to have control experience; many of them were controlled several times a year. The majority of athletes confirmed to be familiar with the sampling procedure. But every second mentioned deficits regarding their rights during the collection or the functioning of the whereabouts system. Athletes and control officials evaluated their communication and coordination among each other mainly positive. By the majority of athletes, control officials’ attitude was judged to be friendly and open minded and their behavior neutral and discreet. A strong and internationally comparable accomplishment of the DCS was demanded especially from athletes belonging to higher testing pools. Doping control officials appreciated athletes’ generally high willingness to cooperate and, predominantly, felt well instructed for their duty.     

Developing competence profiles for educators in environmental education organisations in the Netherlands

This qualitative study explores the meanings and possible merits of introducing competence profiles for enhancing professional development in the environmental education sector in the Netherlands. It presents the three most important environmental education jobs and their underlying competencies alongside their core professional challenges, as identified by environmental educators and experts in the Netherlands. The jobs are: education practitioner, programme leader, and organisational manager. The core professional challenges for the education practitioner entail: developing demand‐driven instructional programmes and spontaneous, ad‐hoc programmes, and addressing task and goal orientations. For the programme leader, they are acquisition of new projects, quality assurance, and project management; and for the organisational manager, they are human resource management, financial management, representing the organisation and showing its performance. The results of the study should inform educational institutions how to develop relevant programmes for future environmental educators, and for the professional development of environmental educators in environmental education organisations.     

Participatory pedagogy in an open educational course: challenges and opportunities

This article presents an empirical study of an open educational course in an online peer-to-peer university (P2PU). P2PU is a nonprofit organization offering free educational opportunities. Focus is on how peers are part of creating course content in a Web 2.0 environment. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have evolved into two different pedagogical directions: content-based xMOOCs and connectivist cMOOCs. cMOOCs emphasizing learning in networks developed informally, where learners are part of creating course content, resemble P2PU`s vision. We investigated processes of interaction in co-creation of tasks in an open educational course and what opportunities and challenges emerge. We employed template analysis for coding data. We report two different processes of interaction between users and organizers: problem identification and co-creation of tasks. This study contributes to understanding a new model of teaching and learning through scrutinizing participation in an open educational course and explores implications for the learning experience.     

Schulen am Netz — Ergebnisse der bundesweiten Evaluation

Im Rahmen der Begleitforschung der bundesweiten Initiative „Schulen ans Netz e.V.“ (SaN) führte das Institut für Schulentwicklungsforschung (IFS) der Universit?t Dortmund eine Befragung der schulischen Koordinatorinnen und Koordinatoren der Internetarbeit der an der Initiative teilnehmenden Schulen durch. An der Untersuchung nahmen 520 Probanden aus allgemein-und berufsbildenden Schulformen aller Bundesl?nder teil. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich bezüglich der technischen Ausstattung noch deutlich zurückliegt und dass dies eine gewichtige Reihe von Problemen in der schulischen Internetpraxis nach sich zieht. Gleichzeitig zeigt sich, dass mit der Internetarbeit an den Schulen nach Einsch?tzung der Computerkoordinatorinnen und-koordinatoren insgesamt gute Erfahrungen gemacht wurden. Die Akzeptanz des neuen Mediums und insbesondere die Motivation bei den Schülerinnen und Schülern sind gro?. Die Zukunft des Internets für die Schulen wird positiv eingesch?tzt. Die Arbeit mit dem Internet an der Schule kann jedoch noch nicht als institutionalisiert interpretiert werden, da mehrheitlich nur eine Minderheit in den Kollegien dieses neue Medium einsetzt — und dies sind haupts?chlich Lehrer und deutlich weniger Lehrerinnen.