Reflection-on-action learning through traditional games. The case of la pelota sentada (sitting ball) / Aprendizaje basado en la reflexión sobre la acción a través de los juegos tradicionales. El caso de la pelota sentada

Traditional paradoxical games enable democratic social encounters as well as reflective skills to be fostered among students. The rules of these games, of which the game pelota sentada (sitting ball) is an example, afford players autonomy to decide either to cooperate with other participants (to release or keep others free) or to oppose them (to capture free players). The aim of this study was to investigate the reflection-on-action about decisions (strategies), relationships and emotions of the participants in the game sitting ball when in the role of free player in possession of the ball. Undergraduate degree students (n = 106) in physical activity and sport sciences took part. After the game, the players answered reflection-on-action open-ended and close-ended questions about their strategies, relationships and emotions. Four experts followed a validated directed and summative approach to the content analysis of 742 comments, using ATLAS.ti software. The findings highlight that decisions, relationships and emotions are distinct yet intertwined dimensions of the same phenomenon: motor conduct in the game pelota sentada (sitting ball).     

Heritage education in informal contexts. Motivation and self-concept / Educación patrimonial en contextos informales. Motivación y autoconcepto

The objective of this study is to analyse differences in motivation and social self-concept in students participating in three different programmes of heritage education in informal contexts. A total of 667 secondary school students from the mining and industrial area of Bizkaia participated in the study. The results show differences in motivation between experimental and control groups before and after their participation in the inter-generational programme. Differences were also found in social self-concept after participation in the inter-generational programme and a follow-up class, after participation in the Dolores Ibarruri programme and after visiting the Mining Museum. With regard to gender, no differences are found in motivation either before or after participation, although differences are found in favour of females in social self-concept.     

Superintendent’s leadership: the cultural aspects of the role enactment

This qualitative study seeks to create a better understanding of the work of school superintendents. This study was conducted using ethnographic techniques as a way to describe the practice of a Latino superintendent in a borderland community in south Texas. Guiding questions for this study were: What goes on in the workday life of a superintendent? and how does the superintendent enact his role as superintendent? Field study for this qualitative inquiry occurred over a period of seven months. Data for this study, including transgressive data, were collected primarily through participant observations, semi-structured ethnographic interviews, from artefacts and journal notes.     

Effects of weightlifting exercise,traditional resistance and plyometric training on countermovement jump performance: a meta-analysis

Jump performance is considered an important factor in many sports. Thus, strategies such as weightlifting (WL) exercises, traditional resistance training (TRT) and plyometric training (PT) are effective at improving jump performance. However, it is not entirely clear which of these strategies can enable greater improvements on jump height. Thus, the purpose of the meta-analysis was to compare the improvements on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance between training methods which focus on WL exercises, TRT, and PT. Seven studies were included, of which one study performed both comparison. Therefore, four studies comparing WL exercises vs. TRT (total n = 78) and four studies comparing WL exercises vs. PT (total n = 76). The results showed greater improvements on CMJ performance for WL exercises compared to TRT (ES_diff: 0.72 ± 0.23; _95%CI: 0.26, 1.19; P = 0.002; Δ % = 7.5 and 2.1, respectively). The comparison between WL exercises vs. PT revealed no significant difference between protocols (ES_diff: 0.15 ± 0.23; _95%CI: ?0.30, 0.60; P = 0.518; Δ % = 8.8 and 8.1, respectively). In conclusion, WL exercises are superior to promote positive changes on CMJ performance compared to TRT; however, WL exercises and PT are equally effective at improving CMJ performance.     

Relative Age Effect,Biological Maturation,and Coaches’ Efficacy Expectations in Young Male Soccer Players

Purpose: The talent identification and selection process in young male soccer players is mainly focused on anthropometrics and physical performance, but social factors are also considered in this process. The purpose of this study was to test the existence of the relative age effect and its possible influence on anthropometrics and physical performance and to analyze coaches’ efficacy expectations. Method: Data for 564 young male soccer players (M_age = 13.7 ± 1.5 years; M_weight = 53.7 ± 11.6 kg; M_height = 160.2 ± 11.6 cm) included their birth quartile, maturity status, anthropometrics, a physical test battery, and coaches’ efficacy expectations. Results: Early-born players were overrepresented (p < .05). Early-born players were not statistically taller, heavier, or better at physical performance (p > .05) when maturation and chronological age were controlled as confounding factors. However, coaches expected more from early-born players (p < .05), and the inferential analysis showed likely to very likely worthwhile differences between the coaches’ expectations for players born in the first quartile of the year and those born in the fourth quartile of the year. Conclusions: Anthropometrical and physical performance variables were not affected by birth quartile, and coaches’ efficacy expectations were related to the relative age effect.     

Exploring the perspectives of physically active and inactive adolescents: how does physical education influence their lifestyles?

Based on a socio-ecological framework for physical education (PE), this study explored and analysed the perspectives of physically active and inactive adolescent boys and girls with different socioeconomic status (SES), regarding the meanings that PE had on their physical activity (PA) lifestyles throughout childhood and adolescence. An interpretative and qualitative design was adopted and operationalised through an individual two-hours in-depth interview. Thematic analysis identified five main themes that distinguish active from inactive adolescents: ‘Early experiences of PE at primary school’; ‘PE experiences in middle and secondary school’; ‘Friendly, professional and pedagogue. That’s what I want from my PE teacher’; ‘Friends in PE and PA’; ‘Active lifestyles? Are schools and PE ready for making a difference?…’. Regardless of the lifestyle, girls revealed more PE negative experiences, related to uninteresting and competitive activities, groups’ constitution and logistic factors. SES played a major role on their PA and PE experiences, with low SES adolescents having limited opportunities inclusively within the primary school PE context. This study provides evidence for the importance of promoting positive PE and PA experiences in early years. Based on adolescents’ voices, several recommendations are discussed that can be considered for improving PE professionals’ effectiveness in promoting active lifestyles.     

Effect of wetted surface area on friction,pressure, wave and total drag of a kayak

Using theoretical principles, the components of drag (friction D _F, pressure D _PR and wave D _W) of a single-seat kayak were analysed. The purpose was to examine the effect of changes in wetted surface area due to changes in kayaker’s weight and the relative contribution of D _F, D _PR and D _W to the total passive drag as function of velocity. The total passive drag values were based on experimental data collected in a single-seat kayak. Three different kayaker simulated weights were tested – 65, 75 and 85 kg. D _F was the drag component that contributed the greatest percentage (between 60 and 68% at 5.56 m/s the top velocity tested) to the total passive drag for all the velocities tested and simulated weights. D _W was the most affected by the increase in kayaker’s simulated weight, mainly when comparing 65/75 to 85 kg. Results support the importance of a kayak design selection that minimises the kayak’s drag for the individual weight of the kayaker. Also, the results suggest that the path for better hydrodynamic kayak performance should seek changes that can reduce D _F, D _PR and D _W with D _F offering the most potential to reduce passive drag.     

Sodium bicarbonate ingestion increases glycolytic contribution and improves performance during simulated taekwondo combat

Purpose: To investigate the effect of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) on performance and estimated energy system contribution during simulated taekwondo combat. Methods: Nine taekwondo athletes completed two experimental sessions separated by at least 48?h. Athletes consumed 300?mg/kg body mass of NaHCO₃ or placebo (CaCO₃) 90?min before the combat simulation (three rounds of 2 min separated by 1 min passive recovery), in a double-blind, randomized, repeated-measures crossover design. All simulated combat was filmed to quantify the time spent fighting in each round. Lactate concentration [La^?] and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured before and after each round, whereas heart rate (HR) and the estimated contribution of the oxidative (W_OXI), ATP (adenosine triphosphate)-phosphocreatine (PCr) (W_PCR), and glycolytic (W_{[ La^? ]}) systems were calculated during the combat simulation. Results: [La^?] increased significantly after NaHCO₃ ingestion, when compared with the placebo condition (+14%, P?=?0.04, d?=?3.70). NaHCO₃ ingestion resulted in greater estimated glycolytic energy contribution in the first round when compared with the placebo condition (+31%, P?=?0.01, d?=?3.48). Total attack time was significantly greater after NaHCO₃ when compared with placebo (+13%, P?=?0.05, d?=?1.15). W_OXI, W_PCR, VO₂, HR and RPE were not different between conditions (P?>?0.05). Conclusion: NaHCO₃ ingestion was able to increase the contribution of glycolytic metabolism and, therefore, improve performance during simulated taekwondo combat.     

Aerobic training but no resistance training increases SIRT3 in skeletal muscle of sedentary obese male adolescents

In recent years, prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has increased. A strategy for prevention and management of obesity is aerobic training (AT) due to its effectiveness to decrease fat mass. AT increases the content of SIRT3, a mitochondrial protein that increases the expression of PGC-1α and NFR1, thereby enhances mitochondrial function and metabolic health. Resistance training (RT) provides metabolic benefits but its effect on SIRT3 content is unknown. To compare the effect of AT and RT on SIRT3, PGC-1α and NRF-1 protein levels in skeletal muscle of sedentary obese adolescents. Twenty-seven sedentary obese male adolescents (age: 16.7?±?0.9 years; BMI: 33.7?±?4.3?kg/m²) completed a 1-month control period prior to randomization to one of two supervised exercise protocols: AT (3 days/week, 40 min/day, 70–80% peak heart rate) or RT (3 days/week, 11 exercises, 2 sets/exercise, 12 repetitions/set) for 12 weeks. Biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle before and after 12 weeks to analyse SIRT3, PGC-1α and NRF-1 proteins content. Peak oxygen consumption (VO_2peak) and anthropometric variables were evaluated before and after training. AT increased SIRT3 content, which was associated with improvements in PGC-1α content and body fat percentage. RT did not affect SIRT3 or PGC-1α. VO_2peak increased only in AT. The increase in muscle mitochondrial SIRT3 was observed only following AT. In contrast, RT increased muscle mass without improving SIRT3 in obese male adolescents.     

A tool-kit to help students from low socioeconomic status background: a school-based self-regulated learning intervention

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Socioeconomic status has been a long-time discussed topic due to its impact on children’s school paths. However, despite extant research...