Science vs. Sports: Motivation and Self-concepts of Participants in Different School Competitions

Competitions are discussed as a measure to foster students’ interest, especially for highly gifted and talented students. In the current study, participants of a cognitive school competition in science were compared to non-participants of the same age group (14–15) who either did not participate in any competition or who participated in a non-cognitive sports competition. The study focused on goal orientations and competence beliefs and analyzed outcomes as a foundation for further improvements of enrichment measures and competitions with regard to fostering students’ interest especially in science. The results showed considerable differences (and some unexpected similarities) between groups: Science competition participants were more learning goal oriented, had less performance avoidance goals, and showed less work avoidance than non-participants. Social self-concept was higher but was moderated by GPA. Considerable gender differences were found as well. These findings are discussed with regard to further research and possibilities for improvement of science competitions.     

Adding omega-3 fatty acids to a protein-based supplement during pre-season training results in reduced muscle soreness and the better maintenance of explosive power in professional Rugby Union players

Evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation could reduce muscle soreness and maintain muscle function following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. The aim of this applied field study was to investigate the effectiveness of consuming a protein-based supplement containing 1546?mg of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (551?mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 551?mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) twice daily (FO) compared to a protein-based placebo (P) on muscle soreness, countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and psychological well-being in 20 professional Rugby Union players during 5 weeks of pre-season training. Players completed a 5-point-Likert soreness scale with 5 indicating “no soreness” and a questionnaire assessing fatigue, sleep, stress and mood each morning of training, plus they performed CMJ tests once or twice per week. Data were analysed using magnitude-based inferential statistics and are presented as percent beneficial/trivial/harmful. On day 35, there was a likely (% beneficial/trivial/harmful: 94/5/1) moderate (0.75, standardized mean difference (SMD)) beneficial effect of FO vs. P on the change in lower body muscle soreness compared with day 0 (FO: ?3.8?±?21.7%; P: ?19.4?±?11.2%). There was a likely (92/7/0) moderate (SMD: 0.60) beneficial effect of FO vs. P on CMJ performance (change from baseline to day 35, FO: +4.6?±?5.9%; P: ?3.4?±?8.6%). From day 20, a moderate beneficial effect of FO on fatigue was observed. In terms of practical relevance, the moderate beneficial effect of adding fish oil to a protein-based supplement on muscle soreness translated into the better maintenance of explosive power in elite Rugby Union players during pre-season training.     

Becoming Globally Competent Citizens: A Learning Journey of Two Classrooms in an Interconnected World

Globally competent people are aware of world issues, take perspective, are engaged and know how to communicate to different people. This article portraits a story of two kindergarten classrooms, one in the United States and the other in Greece, both working with culturally diverse children and, in the case of the American classroom, English Language learners. The teachers shared philosophical foundations reflected in their practice and discourse in the classroom as they took a learning journey through Harvard Project Zero’s Out of Eden Learn project. Out of Eden Learn serves as a platform to engage children from both settings in exploring their own neighborhoods, investigating contemporary global issues, and reflecting on how they as individuals fit into a broader geographical and historical context. Through meaningful hands-on experiences, the children in these two classrooms gained deep understandings of themselves and their surroundings, made personal connections and developed empathy as they heard stories of children around the world. In their learning journey, the two teachers used thinking routines to help the children slow down and observe the world around them. The experience not only helped the teachers comply with curriculum standards, but also allowed them to keep alive the children’s capacity to be curious and promote parental involvement. The children developed a sense of self-understanding and self-identity as a point of reference to develop perspective and understanding of other cultures.     

‘That is like a 24 hours-day tournament!’: using social media to further an authentic sport experience within sport education

Several studies demonstrate that Sport Education supports the development of an authentic experience of sport. Social media has the potential to further the development of an authentic sport experience since it is a key aspect of contemporary sport culture and can be a space for individuals to interact during the Sport Education. Yet the evidence-base on the use of social media within Sport Education is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore how social media supports the development of an authentic sport experience within Sport Education. The context of this study was within a female recreational community sport futsal club. Players engaged with Sport Education as a focus for their sessions for 13 weeks. The Sport Education season embedded the six key features. During the Sport Education season, players interacted with each other through Facebook. Data were generated from; (1) researcher/player field journal, (2) Facebook posts and (3) post-season player interviews. Data analysis involved inductive, constant comparison and member-checking methods. Results showed that players’ uses of Facebook supported the development of an authentic sport experience. Players’ uses of Facebook strengthened the development of three key Sport Education features; affiliation, festivity and season. Based on the limited amount of research on the impact of social media within Sport Education and community sport, future studies should continue to examine the effectiveness of social media as an interactional tool to enhance the development of an authentic sport experience.     

Young people’s uses of wearable healthy lifestyle technologies; surveillance,self-surveillance and resistance

An international evidence-base demonstrates that healthy lifestyle digital technologies, like exergames, health-related mobile applications (‘apps’) and wearable health devices are being used more and more within educational settings. Despite this, there is a lack of in-depth empirical evidence on young people’s experiences and uses of healthy lifestyle technologies. In this article we focus on young people’s uses of a wearable health device – Fitbit – and the associated health app. Informed by the work of Foucault, the purpose is to investigate the surveillance, self-surveillance and resistance that occur by young people. One hundred 13–14 years olds (53 females, 47 males), from five physical education classes in two UK schools participated. Data were generated through 8 focus group interviews, and the nominal interview group technique was applied. Data were analyzed using key concepts from Foucault’s theoretical framework. The results demonstrated that, the daily 10,000 step and calorie burning targets set by the Fitbit device encouraged the young people to do more physical activity. Increases in physical activity occurred because of the self-surveillant practices promoted by the Fitbit through; (i) the monitoring and recording of steps and calories burned, and (ii) peer comparison (or monitoring). Surveillance and self-surveillance practices, however, were clearly connected to health equating to fitness and being ‘fit’ or not being ‘fat’. These narrow interpretations of health, equally, underpinned resistance. Daily step and calorie burning targets, (i) did not sustain young people’s engagement with the device beyond a few weeks, (ii) promoted negative feelings, and (iii) the device was resisted because it did not record physical activity accurately as part of young people’s daily lives. In turn, the young people resisted the educational value of the Fitbit and demonstrated a sceptical stance toward introducing health devices in school and physical education settings.     

Learning to Lead: an Approach to Mathematics Teacher Leader Development

This paper describes a partnership between a university and an urban school district, formed with a goal of preparing mathematics teacher leaders to conduct professional development (PD) at their schools. The university and district partners worked together to achieve the district’s mission of providing every student with high-quality instruction and equitable learning opportunities in mathematics by building the district’s capacity to conduct school-based PD for mathematics teachers. Given the power of school-based subject-specific PD for improving instructional quality, we worked with Teacher Leaders from participating schools to prepare and support them to lead PD workshops at their schools. In this paper, we examine how Teacher Leaders learn and adapt key elements of a PD model over three school years through the lenses of Prediger et al.’s Three-Tetrahedron-Model (2019) and the university’s Learning to Lead model. Over 3 years, we see that Teacher Leaders use the key structures of the PD model; make adaptations in response to school goals, interests, and priorities; and gain confidence in their work with colleagues. By viewing the adaptations through the lens of pedagogies of practice as well as the relationships illustrated by the 3-T model, this work offers insights into the complexities of teacher leadership development.

     

Biomechanical response to systematic changes in impact interface cushioning properties while performing a tennis-specific movement

It is currently not known whether human responses across typical sports surfaces are dependent on cushioning or frictional properties of the interface. The present study assessed systematic changes in surface cushioning (baseline acrylic, rubber, thin foam, and thick foam) as participants performed tennis running forehand foot plants wearing a basic neutral shoe (plimsolls). It was hypothesized that systematic decreases in peak rates of loading, heel pressures, and perceived hardness would be yielded as surface cushioning increased (impact test device). A common acrylic top surface provided consistent frictional properties across surfaces. Kinetics (AMTI, 960 Hz and Footscan Pressure Insoles, 500 Hz), kinematics (Peak MOTUS, 120 Hz), and cushioning perception were assessed. Peak and mean loading rates of vertical ground reaction force, peak horizontal force, peak heel pressure, and rates of loading demonstrated significant correlations (P < 0.05) with the participants' perceived levels of cushioning and matched mechanical rankings of surface cushioning. In contrast, peak impact force was lowest on the least cushioned surface. Kinematic responses were not significantly different between surfaces. Present evidence supports 'peak rate of loading' as a more suitable indicator of surface cushioning than peak impact force. Although cautionary, biomechanical support is also provided for mechanical methods of surface cushioning assessment.     

Individual differences in the interleukin-6 response to maximal and submaximal exercise tasks

The inflammatory responsive cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) helps regulate immune responses to exercise. Evidence suggests that increases in IL-6 are related to exercise duration and intensity. However, the moderating effect of sex and underlying mediators have received limited attention. We compared plasma IL-6 responses to two cycling tasks with a resting control in young male (n = 12) and female (n = 12) recreationally active adults. Both 45 min tasks comprised an incremental test, either maximal or submaximal, followed by steady-state exercise at 55% peak power output. Interleukin-6 was elevated above baseline immediately after the maximal but not the submaximal task. Compared with the control condition, IL-6 was increased at 30 and 60 min after both exercise tasks. The IL-6 response was greater in women than men at 60 min after maximal exercise. Cortisol increased in both tasks compared with the control condition, the increase being greater after maximal than submaximal exercise. No associations were found between IL-6 responses and cortisol, heart rate, fitness or body mass index. The results show that 45 min of moderate-intensity exercise can increase IL-6 and suggest that the inclusion of maximal effort may accelerate this response. The finding that women showed a greater IL-6 response to maximal exercise may reflect a gender dimorphism in the immune response to stress.     

Science teachers' views and practices in planning for teaching

This article studies the views and practices of a group of secondary school science teachers toward lesson planning. The two main questions posed are: “What do teachers do when they prepare their lessons?” and “What do teachers think of their own planning?” We describe the decisions made by the teachers, the things they take into account, what they give most importance to, the time spent, the source of their knowledge, and how they evaluate the results. The information was obtained by structured personal interviews, which were compared with reports written by the teachers. Our findings led us to reflect on ways in which lesson planning may be introduced into training programs. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 493–513, 1999