Talent development as an ecology of games: a case study of Norwegian handball

Structured talent identification and development, it has been argued, is one of the foundations of international sporting success and many modern elite sport systems have applied normative talent development (TD) models. The success of Norwegian handball, however, is based on an alternative approach to TD. Norwegian handball is characterized by a heterarchical organizational structure in which several key actors function highly autonomously. The aim of this article is three-fold: (a) to describe the organization of TD in Norwegian handball, (b) to identify how the inherent organizational characteristics of Norwegian handball have influenced the TD processes used and (c) to discuss if contemporary TD models provide an adequate conceptualization of the model used in Norwegian handball. This case study includes three units of analysis: (i) the overall organizational structure of Norwegian handball, (ii) the characteristics of the key actors involved and (iii) the inter-communication and collaborations of the key actors. The data sources were (a) documents and (b) interviews with 11 key informants. The informants were selected strategically to represent experienced coaches and professionals from multiple organizational units. The National Handball Federation uses a broad-based model for TD: 23% of male handball players and 15% of female handball players from the age of 13–17 years participate in regional-level initiatives in addition to practising daily in community-based volunteer sport clubs and sport schools. Findings reveal that the broad base of TD initiatives creates multiple access points to the talent pipeline for adolescents. However, because the heterarchical structure involves many actors, the unintended consequences are often related to (im)properly managing training and competition loads. There is a need therefore for well-developed coordination mechanisms and good communication between the key actors involved.     

再造学员间网上聚会以创造更好的学生支持服务环境

本文旨在阐述以瑞典民众高中和学习协会为独特形式的瑞典非正规成人教育中远程教育的特征。依据瑞典民众高中和学习协会的办学哲学思想,“会议式学习”是建构式学习的基石,特别是当学习的目的不是为了应付考试而进行信息复制时,更是如此。当学生需要进行分析和批判性地讨论时,他们需要组织小组会议以取得对论题的深刻理解。“会议式学习”这一独特特征在瑞典民众高中和学习协会中的实践已有一个世纪之久。现在,这种在修课学员之间组织小组面对面会议又在现代远程教育中再现,以创造一个更灵活的学习环境,促进深层次学习和提供更好的学生支持服务。瑞典民众高中的教师和学习圈的圈长越来越意识到,在现代化的信息技术的辅助下,创造远程的更好的学习条件是可能的。他们还认识到,创建一个学员们可以聚会、互相学习并相互给予更好支持的虚拟网上论坛也是可能的。而且,实践结果越来越清楚地显示出:远程学习并不只是第二等的选择,与面对面的会议相比,两者各具优点。     

Didactic dissonance: teacher roles in computer gaming situations in kindergartens

In computer gaming situations in kindergartens, the pre-school teacher’s function can be viewed in a continuum. At one extreme is the teacher who takes an intervening role and at the other extreme is the teacher who chooses to restrict herself/himself to an organising or distal role. This study shows that both the intervening position and the organising or distal role are challenging. An alternative role is an intermediate position in which the teacher is a contributor and encouraging bystander. The term didactic dissonance is suggested to capture the challenges and tensions in didactic situations where teacher and child participate with conflicting roles and expectations. Didactic dissonance may help educators reflect on teacher roles in didactic contexts.     

The Multifaceted Challenges in Teacher-Student Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Teachers’ and Principals’ Experiences and Views Regarding the Dropout Rate in Norwegian Upper-Secondary Education

The purpose of our study was to enhance understanding of teachers' and principals' experiences and views regarding the high dropout rate in Norwegian upper secondary schools. Qualitative analysis showed that the teacher-student relationships over years had become more complicated since the implementation of a new educational reform, making the syllabus increasingly theoretical and thus reducing the practical value for many students. Limitations in students' knowledge, skills and academic interest, contributed to the creation of huge differences in academic levels within the class and thus reduced the quality of teaching. Societal changes were identified as possible factors underlying the high dropout rate. Better guidance regarding educational choices, study programs adapted to the students' interests, and actively nurturing involvement may prevent dropout.     

Demographic and psychological predictors of grade point average (GPA) in North-Norway: a particular analysis of cognitive/school-related and literacy problems

Approximately 30% of students drop out from Norwegian upper secondary schools. Academic achievement, as indexed by grade point average (GPA), is one of the strongest predictors of dropout. The present study aimed to examine the role of cognitive, school-related and affective/psychological predictors of GPA. In addition, we examined the psychometric properties of a new scale for literacy problems (LP), as well as its role for GPA. Analyses showed that the scale had favourable psychometric properties. Multivariable regression analyses showed that study track choice, task solving skills, gender, lack of educational plans and LP predicted GPA in descending order. The major implication of the study was that GPA is related to a multiple number of demographic, cognitive and psychosocial factors, and that any interventions addressing GPA will be less effective if not addressing psychosocial in addition to cognitive/school-related factors.     

Childhood football play and practice in relation to self-regulation and national team selection; a study of Norwegian elite youth players

Childhood sport participation is argued to be important to understand differences in self-regulation and performance level in adolescence. This study sought to investigate if football-specific activities in childhood (6–12 years of age) is related to self-regulatory skills and national under 14- and 15-team selection in Norwegian elite youth football. Data of practice histories and self-regulatory skills of 515 youth football players selected at Norwegian regional level were collected and further analysed using multilevel analyses. The results revealed that high self-regulated players were more likely to be selected for national initiatives, and increased their involvement in peer-led football practice and adult-led football practice during childhood, compared to players with lower levels of self-regulation. While national level players reported higher levels of peer-led football play in childhood, the interaction effect suggest that the regional level players increased their involvement in peer-led play during childhood compared to national level players. In conclusion, the findings indicate that childhood sport participation may contribute to later differences in self-regulation, and highlights the importance of childhood engagement in football-specific play and practice in the development of Norwegian youth football players.     

Relationships between learning approach,procrastination and academic achievement amongst first-year university students

Individual differences in student learning influence academic performance, and two aspects influencing the learning process are the particular learning approach the students use and procrastination behaviour. We examined the relationships between learning approaches, procrastination and academic achievement (measured 1 year later as the grade point average (GPA)) amongst 428 first-year university students. Deep and strategic learning approaches positively predicted GPA, and a mediation analysis showed that the strategic learning approach also partly mediated the effect between deep learning approach and GPA. Less procrastination was associated with a strategic learning approach, but procrastination tendencies did not predict GPA. Recommendations are made for educating new students in cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies, helping reduce their procrastination and facilitating the use of deep and strategic learning approaches.     

Effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possessions in a random series of team possessions from Norwegian professional soccer matches

Abstract

Methods of analysis that include an assessment of opponent interactions are thought to provide a more valid means of team match performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of playing tactics on achieving score-box possession by assessing opponent interactions in Norwegian elite soccer matches. We analysed a random series of 1703 team possessions from 163 of 182 (90%) matches played in the professional men's league during the 2004 season. Multidimensional qualitative data obtained from ten ordered categorical variables were used. Offensive tactics were more effective in producing score-box possessions when playing against an imbalanced defence (28.5%) than against a balanced defence (6.5%) (P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression found that, for the main variable “team possession type”, counterattacks were more effective than elaborate attacks when playing against an imbalanced defence (odds ratio: 2.69; 95% confidence interval: 1.64 to 4.43) but not against a balanced defence (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.47 to 2.76). Assessment of opponent interactions is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of offensive playing tactics on producing score-box possessions, and improves the validity of team match-performance analysis in soccer.