The key kinematic determinants of undulatory underwater swimming at maximal velocity

The optimisation of undulatory underwater swimming is highly important in competitive swimming performance. Nineteen kinematic variables were identified from previous research undertaken to assess undulatory underwater swimming performance. The purpose of the present study was to determine which kinematic variables were key to the production of maximal undulatory underwater swimming velocity. Kinematic data at maximal undulatory underwater swimming velocity were collected from 17 skilled swimmers. A series of separate backward-elimination analysis of covariance models was produced with cycle frequency and cycle length as dependent variables (DVs) and participant as a fixed factor, as including cycle frequency and cycle length would explain 100% of the maximal swimming velocity variance. The covariates identified in the cycle-frequency and cycle-length models were used to form the saturated model for maximal swimming velocity. The final parsimonious model identified three covariates (maximal knee joint angular velocity, maximal ankle angular velocity and knee range of movement) as determinants of the variance in maximal swimming velocity (adjusted-r² = 0.929). However, when participant was removed as a fixed factor there was a large reduction in explained variance (adjusted r² = 0.397) and only maximal knee joint angular velocity continued to contribute significantly, highlighting its importance to the production of maximal swimming velocity. The reduction in explained variance suggests an emphasis on inter-individual differences in undulatory underwater swimming technique and/or anthropometry. Future research should examine the efficacy of other anthropometric, kinematic and coordination variables to better understand the production of maximal swimming velocity and consider the importance of individual undulatory underwater swimming techniques when interpreting the data.     

Social Justice,Sport, and Sociology: A Position Statement

ABSTRACT

Amidst widespread inequality, advocates of sport and physical activity have proposed ways in which sport might support those on the social, economic, and geographic margins. In this essay, we consider the place and role of sport in responding to various forms of inequality, and reflect upon its place in pursuing social justice. In so doing, we bring a perspective of critical sociology to the question(s) of whether and how sport can play a role in responding to inequality. Our main argument is that sport has had, and continues to have, a place and role in the pursuit of social justice, but only in so far as sport’s advocates are willing and able to differentiate between justice and charity. To build this case, we draw on the differentiation between the dominant and transformative models of sport for development.     

FOLLOWING THE ACTION

Live sports blogging is a relatively new form of journalism in wide and frequent use by media companies but has received little attention from the academy. This article outlines a study that explored the belief and value system behind live sports blogging to establish whether shifts were taking place within the professional ideology of sports journalism. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 live sports bloggers in the United Kingdom. The study found that live bloggers retained core journalistic values and beliefs of balancing objectivity and subjectivity, immediacy, providing a public service and editorial autonomy. However, live blogging's challenges of immediacy, interactivity and shifting consumption patterns have led to a reimagining of what these concepts mean and the skills and competences required. Live bloggers perceived their role as community builders and mediators of discussion as well as information providers, and this represents a new openness and inclusivity within the occupational base. Participants did not regard these changes to be a dumbing down of standards but rather a paradigm shift towards flattening hierarchies between journalist and audience. The findings suggest live bloggers have shown a greater willingness to adapt than previous research into the migration of sports journalists to digital platforms has found.     

工程教育的变革与挑战

今天，当我们讨论工程教育时不得不首先谈论工程学。同时，在我们谋划未来的变革之前，我们需要知道：我们从哪里来，现在处在什么位置，以及我们将向何处去。说到工程学，人们必然会说到变革。在这简要的论述之后，我将探讨工程教育的含义。我也将告诉你们一些伦塞勒理工学院     

Effects of temperature and diet on length-weight relationship and condition factor of the juvenile Malabar blood snapper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lutjanus malabaricus</Emphasis> Bloch &amp; Schneider, 1801)

In this study we aimed to analyze the effects of water temperature and diet on the length-weight relationship and condition of juvenile Malabar blood snapper Lutjanus malabaricus over a 30-d experimental period. The experiment was conducted in the laboratory using a flow-through-sea-water system. The fish were subjected to four different temperatures (22, 26, 30, and 34 °C) and two diets (commercial pellet and natural shrimp). Fish were fed twice daily. L. malabaricus exhibited negative allometric growth (b<3) at the beginning of the experiment (Day 0) at all temperatures and both diets except for 22 °C fed with shrimp, which showed isometric growth (b=3). Conversely, at the end of the experiment (Day 30) fish showed isometric growth (b=3) at 30 °C fed with the pellet diet, indicating that the shape of the fish did not change with increasing weight and length, and a positive allometric growth (b>3) at 30 °C fed with shrimp diet, which indicated that fish weight increases faster than their length. The rest of the temperatures represented negative allometric growth (b<3) on both diet, meaning that fish became lighter with increasing size. The condition factors in the initial and final measurements were greater than 1, indicating the state of health of the fish, except for those fed on a pellet diet at 34 °C. However, the best condition was obtained at 30 °C on both diets. Nevertheless, diets did not have a significant effect on growth and condition of juvenile L. malabaricus. The data obtained from this study suggested culturing L. malabaricus at 30 °C and feeding on the pellet or shrimp diet, which will optimize the overall production and condition of this commercially important fish species.     

Learning mathematics and learning to teach: Learning cycles in mathematics teacher education

The reconceptualization of mathematics teacher education based on current mathematics education reform efforts necessitates the elaboration of theoretical frameworks to guide both the practice of and research on teacher education. The author presents a framework which has been useful in shaping two major mathematics teacher education research and development projects. This framework for mathematics teacher learning builds recursively on a framework for mathematics learning which derives from a social constructivist view of learning and incorporates aspects of French didactical theory using the organizing structure of the Karplus Learning Cycle. The framework can be used to think about the content and organization of a particular lesson or of an entire course or program for teachers. Further, it describes the interconnection between different domains of teacher knowledge.     

Effects of individual and cooperative computer-assisted instruction on student performance and attitudes

In this study, the performance and attitudes toward instruction of learners working individually on a computer-based sex education lesson were compared with those of learners working cooperatively in dyads. A tatal of 60 eighth-graders received treatments that either required individual work or encouraged cooperation with a partner. Results indicated that students who worked cooperatively significantly outperformed those who worked individually. On an attitude measure, interactions were detected between instructional method and gender, as well as among instructional method, gender, and ability. High-ability males and females reported comparable attitudes toward each instructional method, but ratings for low-ability students were differentiated according to instructional method: Low-ability males responded most favorably, while low-ability females responded least favorably to individualized methods, and low-ability females responded most favorably and low-ability males least favorably to cooperative methods.     

High quality in primary humanities: insights from the UK’s school inspectorates

ABSTRACT

The school inspectorates of the four jurisdictions of the UK are sources of evidence about the quality of humanities teaching, learning and curriculum in primary schools. The term ‘humanities’ usually refers to the subjects of geography, history and Religious Education, but here they are considered holistically, not separately. Discrete subject and inter-subject humanities inspection reports are used to identify what inspectors report to be high-quality practices in this curriculum area. Six themes are presented, which reveal that: the best humanities curricula are based on subject and cross-subject ideas and connections, with subject learning clearly visible; flexible but rigorous approaches to planning enable progression in children’s learning; strong teacher–child and teacher–humanities relationships reflect teachers’ evident enthusiasm, commitment and expectations; teachers use a diverse range of approaches and resources; active and enquiry-based learning approaches engage children in developing their studies; and strong humanities leadership and explicit emphasis in school development priorities underpin high-quality primary humanities. These features reflect the skills and qualities of expert primary teachers.     

Young science journalism: writing popular scientific articles may contribute to an increase of high-school students’ interest in the natural sciences

Far too few high-school students choose subjects from the natural sciences (NaSc) for their majors in many countries. Even fewer study biology, chemistry or physics at university. Those, that do, often lack training to present and discuss scientific results and ideas in texts. To meet these challenges the center for didactics of biology of Graz University has set up the program Young Science Journalism. This new workshop-based interdisciplinary concept was tested in an exploratory study with grade 10 students of one Austrian high school, engaging both the biology and the German teacher of the class. It was our aim to raise students’ interest in the NaSc by encouraging them to write popular scientific articles about self-chosen topics, and to help them improve their writing competence. In this paper we focus on interest development through writing. Results from this pilot study were promising. Using a mixed-method approach (comparing pre- and post-test questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from different time points analyzed qualitatively), we found that almost all students valued the project-related work highly. Most of them showed higher interest in the NaSc at project end with girls, in average, seeming to profit more from project participation. We thus recommend integrating such writing tasks into school curricula to increase students’ interest in NaSc or to even create new interest. Additionally, we introduce a network presentation of questionnaire data as a powerful tool to visualize the effect of an intervention on individual students and student profile groups.     

Importance of Biology in Environmental Education

One of the aims in the Singapore Green Plan is to maintain a more proactive and environmentally conscious population. This can be met through the education of the people. The Plan recognises that one of the most important target groups is the student population. For this to be achieved, a case can be made for the teaching of biology as a core subject in both the primary and secondary schools. According to the Biological Science Inquiry Model, a teaching model designed for instructing and nurturing the learning process of students, a good foundation in biology will enable students to be more open minded, more inquiring into related issues and apply biological principles to rationalise such issues. A good grounding in biology will therefore help students to have a better understanding of environmental issues as these issues are extensively related to biological principles. This can be illustrated by the ten issues concerning the global environment highlighted at the United Nations Conference on the Environment in June 1992. Through a systematic discussion of each of these issues, this paper illustrates the importance of biological knowledge in understanding the problems, implications and consequences of these issues.