Physiological responses to 1000-m ergometer time-trial performance in outrigger canoeing

Graded exercise tests are commonly used to assess peak physiological capacities of athletes. However, unlike time trials, these tests do not provide performance information. The aim of this study was to examine the peak physiological responses of female outrigger canoeists to a 1000-m ergometer time trial and compare the time-trial performance to two graded exercise tests performed at increments of 7.5 W each minute and 15 W each two minutes respectively. 17 trained female outrigger canoeists completed the time trial on an outrigger canoe ergometer with heart rate (HR), stroke rate, power output, and oxygen consumption (VO2) determined every 15 s. The mean (+/- s) time-trial time was 359 +/- 33 s, with a mean power output of 65 +/- 16 W and mean stroke rate of 56 +/- 4 strokes min(-1). Mean values for peak VO2, peak heart rate, and mean heart rate were 3.17 +/- 0.67 litres min(-1), 177 +/- 11 beats min(-1), and 164 +/- 12 beats min(-1) respectively. Compared with the graded exercise tests, the time-trial elicited similar values for peak heart rate, peak power output, peak blood lactate concentration, and peak VO2. As a time trial is sport-specific and can simultaneously quantify sprint performance and peak physiological responses in outrigger canoeing, it is suggested that a time trial be used by coaches for crew selection as it doubles as a reliable performance measure and a protocol for monitoring peak aerobic capacity of female outrigger canoeists.     

Development of a Questionnaire to Measure the Level of Reflective Thinking

Many courses aim to promote reflective thinking or reflection upon practice, but there is a scarcity of readily usable instruments to determine whether students engage in reflective thinking and, if so, to what extent. This paper reports the development and testing of such an instrument. To ensure validity, the constructs measured were derived from the extensive literature on reflective thinking, particularly the writing of Mezirow. A combination of the literature review and initial testing led to the development of a four-scale instrument measuring four constructs; habitual action, understanding, reflection and critical reflection. The final version of the instrument was tested with a sample of 303 students from eight classes of a health science faculty. The reliability of the scales was established by acceptable Cronbach alpha values. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit to the proposed four-factor structure. Comparison of mean scores between the eight classes showed predicted significant differences on each of the four scales between undergraduate and postgraduate students.     

Some implications of the results of a case study for the design of pre-constructed, dynamic geometry sketches and accompanying materials

The study that informs this article was undertaken to investigate the benefits and limitations of using pre-constructed,web-based, dynamic geometry sketches inactivities related to deductive proof at the secondary school level. Two distinct themes emerged from analysis of the results– first, the relationship between the activities and the development of geometric thinking skills, and second, the relationship between the design of the materials, and the exploration process. This article focuses on the latter. An analysis of the data showed that task question and sketch provision must work together to create an environment for exploration. It also indicated that explicit attention to visual interpretation and exploration using change is required in order for students to benefit fully from their experiences with pre-constructed dynamic geometry sketches. This article draws attention to the idea that pre-constructed dynamic sketches(whether web-based or not) and accompanying materials are central elements of the learning activity of which they are a part,and therefore, that decisions about their design have the potential to support or impede the development of exploration strategies and geometric thinking skills. An examination of student responses to particular questions in light of visual and dynamic geometry research suggests that through the materials we may be able to improve students' use of the mathematical investigation process in exploring pre-constructed dynamic geometry sketches. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Relationships and learning: a review and investigation of narrative coherence in looked‐after children in primary school

This review and investigation draws on principles from attachment theory regarding the importance of early relationships and their impact on the coherence and organisation of psychological functions. Comparisons are made between the narrative coherence scores of an experimental group of 17 looked‐after children with problematic relationship histories in mainstream school and a matched control group of 17 of their peers. There were significant differences between the groups in the coherence of children's narratives, denial and avoidance in story play themes and in their use of intentionality. The paper considers the theory and discusses the results in terms of the implications for teaching, learning and intervention.     

The Dynamic Association of Interest and Confusion: The Potential for Moderation by Utility Value and Gender

Abstract

To better understand students’ experiences while learning in an online computer-science course, we adopted a dynamical systems analytic framework in which we tested linked patterns of confusion and interest over time and investigated whether and how those patterns might change as a function of students’ exposure to a utility value (UV) intervention and gender. We assessed interest and confusion via event contingent experience-sampled questionnaires that displayed immediately after students had engaged with key examples or exercises. Results indicated that students’ exposure to a UV intervention and gender affected the levels of confusion that students reported and the associations between interest and confusion levels over time. Implications for educators and researchers are discussed.     

Source-code plagiarism in universities: a comparative study of student perspectives in China and the UK

There has been much research and discussion relating to variations in plagiaristic activity observed in students from different demographic backgrounds. Differences in behaviour have been noted in many studies, although the underlying reasons are still a matter of debate. Existing work focuses mainly on textual plagiarism, and most often derives results by studying (small) groups of overseas students studying in a Western context. This study investigates understanding of source-code plagiarism (i.e. plagiarism of computer programmes) amongst university students in China. The survey instrument was a Chinese translation of a survey previously administered in English in the UK. This paper reports the results of the exploratory survey conducted in China, and compares these results to those from a parallel survey conducted in the UK. The results show that there is a significant difference in understanding between the respondents from the two surveys, and suggest topics which a future and more comprehensive study may focus on.     

Understanding the written number system: 6 Year-olds in Argentina and Switzerland

Thirty children in Geneva, Switzerland, 15 middle-class children in Bariloche and 15 lower-class children from a semi-literate or illiterate milieu in Bariloche, Argentina, were tested. All children were aged 6 and attending public schools. Tasks were: (1) judging which of two bi- or tri-digit written numerals was the biggest, and explaining why; and (2) explaining the role played by the different digits in numerals such as 11, 12, 16, 17. Results show that children at these ages use various strategies in task 1: they compare number of digits; read aloud the numerals and refer to number-string knowledge; treat bi- and tri-digits as the sum of their face value parts; and lastly, quite often take both face value and position of digits into account in a correct way. They, however, were not able to explain place-value. Most subjects gave face value interpretations, while a few children account for the whole collection of chips and make part of the chips correspond to one digit, and the other part to the other digit. Differences in performance between the three types of children emerge.