Music search engines: Specifications and challenges

Nowadays we have a proliferation of music data available over the Web. One of the imperative challenges is how to search these vast, global-scale musical resources to find preferred music. Recent research has envisaged the notion of music search engines (MSEs) that allow for searching preferred music over the Web. In this paper, we examine the growing research topic of MSEs, and provide potential specifications to follow and challenges to face.     

Technology transfer in schools: from research to innovation

Technology transfer should be a central objective of research into educational information technology, as it is generally acknowledged that the quality of this process is a critical factor in effectively bringing about innovation. The central focus of this paper is on this problem. In particular, we discuss the peculiarity of information technology transfer in schools as opposed to the transfer of technology in companies; we indicate some central problems of this transfer and discuss a typology of approaches to the transfer of educational information technology from research to school.     

Effects of antisocial behaviour on opponent's anger,attention, and performance

Sledging, which is verbal antisocial behaviour in sport, aims to impair an opponent’s performance. Previously, variations in performance have been attributed to changes in emotion and cognition. To improve our understanding of sledging, the current experiment examined the effects of verbal antisocial behaviour on anger, attention and performance. Participants performed a competitive basketball free-throw shooting task under insult (verbal behaviour designed to offend and upset the performer), distraction (verbal behaviour designed to draw attention away from the task), or control (neutral verbal behaviour) conditions. Performance was assessed by the number of successful baskets and a points-based scoring system, while anger and attention were measured post-task. The insult condition provoked more anger than the control and distraction conditions, whereas the insult and distraction conditions increased distraction and reduced self-focus compared to the control condition. Although verbal antisocial behaviour had no overall direct effect on performance, mediation analysis showed that anger indirectly impaired performance via distraction. Implications for the antisocial behaviour-performance relationship are discussed.     

The interpersonal dimension of teacher education: Comparing distance education with two other programs in Sri Lanka

This chapter examines a distance education program to train primary schoolteachers in Sri Lanka and looks for evidence of its success. Quasi-longitudinal data on (a) teacher perceptions of the program; (b) teacher knowledge, skill, and attitudes; (c) teacher classroom performance; and (d) pupil achievement are used to compare distance education with two other teacher education programs in Sri Lanka — an institutional inservice program and a preservice approach. More specifically, the interpersonal aspects of this distance education program are examined as a possible explanation of the program's effectiveness when compared with other distance education as well as conventional approaches to educating teachers.     

Reliability of a Cryoscopic Micro-Osmometer Using 15-µL Plasma Samples to Measure Hydration Status in Varied Environmental Conditions

Measurement of plasma osmolality (P_osm) remains popular for assessing hydration status in exercise science. However, a controlled reliability assessment of micro-osmometry using small sample volumes to measure P_osm remains to be performed. This study aimed to examine the reliability of a cryoscopic micro-osmometer requiring 15-μL samples across varied environmental conditions. Thirteen young adults (26.4 ± 5.7 years) completed a 20-min steady-state cycling protocol on separate occasions in cool/dry conditions and hot/humid conditions. P_osm was assessed using fingertip capillary samples taken in duplication prior to and following 20-min acclimatization and recovery periods around the cycling bout. Absolute (typical error of measurement = .62–.83 mOsmol·kg^–1; coefficient of variation = .9% to 1.3%) and relative (intraclass correlation coefficient = .60–.85) reliability of this approach were supported. These findings suggest micro-osmometry requiring small plasma samples (15 μL) can be reliably used by practitioners to assess longitudinal changes and cross-sectional hydration status in varied environmental conditions.     

Knowledge,nutrition and coaching pedagogy: a perspective from female Brazilian Olympic gymnasts

It is acknowledged that knowledge and knowledge bases are an important part of coach and athlete learning and that the coach – athlete relationship is crucial to knowledge created, shared and used. This said knowledge about nutrition as constructed by elite gymnasts would seem particularly important in a culture long associated with weight control practices and disordered eating. This paper provides an insight into the ways that 10 Brazilian Olympic gymnasts construct ideas pertaining to nutritional knowledge across generational periods (between 1980 and 2004) where significant organisational change in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics in Brazil occurred and included the introduction of dieticians. Drawing upon different knowledge types and paying attention to the coaching context, the life histories of 10 Olympic gymnasts were used to open a window on knowledge construction pertaining to nutrition by three generations of gymnasts. The findings draw attention to two main illustrative themes. Firstly, coaches’ personal knowledge, whilst perceived as incomplete by gymnasts, reinforced a narrative of weight loss for gymnasts regardless of generation. Secondly, the younger generations of gymnasts perceived that the introduction of dieticians into structured provision enabled them to use better structured knowledge, and with it a sense of increased autonomy and corporeal learning via the construction of tacit embodied knowledge leading to healthier practices. Reflections are given to the role of the coach, dieticians and pedagogical actions, and the continued reshaping of knowledge in elite gymnastics.     

The evolution of student-coach’s pedagogical content knowledge in a combined use of sport education and the step-game-approach model*

Background: One of the essential elements within Sport Education is the inclusion of student roles and responsibilities. While previous research has examined students’ performance in officiating tasks, the examination of student-coaches’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) within peer-assisted tasks of Sport Education has been scarce. Indeed, the only study to date which has examined student-coach effectiveness was conducted by Wallhead and O’Sullivan [2007. “A Didactic Analysis of Content Development During the Peer Teaching Tasks of a Sport Education Season.”Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 12 (3): 225–243]. In that study, student-coaches struggled to manifest PCK by providing appropriate demonstrations, to diagnose errors, or to modify tasks for higher order content development. The study of PCK may be a useful heuristic to examine instructional effectiveness in physical education.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the evolution of the PCK of a cohort of student-coaches across three hybrid Sport Education-Step Game Approach seasons, and to examine the impact of protocols put in place to specifically enhance coaches’ PCK.

Participants and setting: Twenty-one students and one teacher from a school class in the north of Portugal participated in the present study.

Method: Data from multiple sources were collected: (a) videotape observations of all lessons, (b) field notes, and (c) pre-lesson interviews with the student-coaches. These were then subjected to deductive examination through a process of thematic analysis.

Findings and conclusions: Following a baseline season that identified four key limitations within the student-coaches’ instruction (task presentation, error diagnosis, feedback, and task modification), these students participated in specific coach preparation that involved modelling teacher’s instruction, pre-lesson meetings, and coaches’ corners. While showing marked improvement in their content knowledge across the second season, a second protocol was instigated during the third that involved the student-coaches to participate in stimulated reflections of their instruction and the incorporation of planning sheets to enhance their instruction. It was found that both interventions were efficacious in developing student-coaches’ PCK, which allowed a more complete transfer of the instructional responsibility from the teacher to the students. These results give insight into the importance of including coach education protocols within the design of seasons of Sport Education with respect to student-coaches’ instructional preparation.     

Severe hypoxemia induced by prolonged expiration and reduced frequency breathing during submaximal swimming

The purpose of this study was to examine the metabolic responses during submaximal swimming with self-selected normal breathing (N) and prolonged expiration along with reduced frequency breathing (RB). Ten male swimmers (age: 23.1 ± 2.2 years; VO₂max: 47.3 ± 7.2 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1) performed 75-, 100-, 175-, 200-, 275-, 300-, 375- and 400-m trials with N and RB at intensity corresponding to 90% of the critical speed. In RB condition, all trials longer than 75 m were interspersed with 25 m of self-selected N in regular intervals. In RB, oxygen saturation during recovery was decreased compared to starting values after 75, 100, 175, 275 and 375 m (78–91%, P < 0.05), while it remained unchanged after all trials in N condition (98 ± 2%, P > 0.05). Lactate concentration was higher in RB than in N after 400 m (4.3 ± 1.5 vs. 3.3 ± 1.7 mmol · l^?1, P < 0.05). During recovery after the 375-m trial, partial pressure of carbon dioxide was increased and pH was decreased in RB compared to N condition. Prolonged expiration along with RB provokes severe hypoxemia during the recovery period after swimming, which is restored with self-selected N during submaximal swimming.     

Static and dynamic single leg postural control performance during dual-task paradigms

Combining dynamic postural control assessments and cognitive tasks may give clinicians a more accurate indication of postural control under sport-like conditions compared to single-task assessments. We examined postural control, cognitive and squatting performance of healthy individuals during static and dynamic postural control assessments in single- and dual-task paradigms. Thirty participants (female = 22, male = 8; age = 20.8 ± 1.6 years, height = 157.9 ± 13.0 cm, mass = 67.8 ± 20.6 kg) completed single-leg stance and single-leg squat assessments on a force plate individually (single-task) and concurrently (dual-task) with two cognitive assessments, a modified Stroop test and the Brooks Spatial Memory Test. Outcomes included centre of pressure speed, 95% confidence ellipse, squat depth and speed and cognitive test measures (percentage of correct answers and reaction time). Postural control performance varied between postural control assessments and testing paradigms. Participants did not squat as deep and squatted slower (P < 0.001) during dual-task paradigms (≤12.69 ± 3.4 cm squat depth, ≤16.20 ± 4.6 cm · s^?1 squat speed) compared to single-task paradigms (14.57 ± 3.6 cm squat depth, 19.65 ± 5.5 cm · s^?1 squat speed). The percentage of correct answers did not change across testing conditions, but Stroop reaction time (725.81 ± 59.2 ms; F_2,58 = 7.725, P = 0.001) was slowest during single-leg squats compared to baseline (691.64 ± 80.1 ms; P = 0.038) and single-task paradigms (681.33 ± 51.5 ms; P < 0.001). Dynamic dual-task assessments may be more challenging to the postural control system and may better represent postural control performance during dynamic activities.