Age-Related Differences in Muscular Strength and Muscular Endurance among Female Masters Swimmers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine age-related differences in muscular strength and muscular endurance among 73 female masters swimmers aged 24 to 71 years. Each subject was assessed on measures of body size, grip strength, peak isokinetic torque of shoulder and knee flexion and extension, and endurance of shoulder and knee movements. Although swim training appears to have resulted in higher strength values for these swimmers than for less active women, an age-related decline in muscular strength values was nevertheless apparent. The results fail to reveal a similar age-related trend for muscular endurance, suggesting that swim training influences muscular endurance more than muscular strength among adult women.     

Development of the Sport Orientation Questionnaire

Abstract

The Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ) was developed as a multidimensional, sport-specific measure of individual differences in sport achievement orientation. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a stable, three-factor structure across three separate samples of university and high school students. The three separate but related subscales of competitiveness, win, and goal orientation demonstrate high internal consistency and stability over time. The SOQ competitiveness score differentiates students in competitive activities from those in noncompetitive activities, providing evidence for construct validity. The overall factor stability, reliability and validity evidence suggests that the SOQ can be a valuable measure for the investigation of competitiveness and achievement behavior in sport and exercise settings.     

Properties of Isokinetic Fatigue at Various Movement Speeds in Adult Males

Abstract

Eighteen male subjects, ages 20–28 years, engaged in three fatigue bouts using an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex II). Maximum knee extension contractions were given for 100 s at a rate of 30 per minute. The three contraction speeds chosen were 120° · s ^–1 160° · s ^–1 and 200° · s ^–1.Peak torque at 120° · s ^–1 was significantly greater (p <.05) than at 200° · s ^–1 for the first 60 s, and 160° · s ^–1 for the first 50 s. Thereafter, no significant differences existed among conditions. All three curves were found to follow two-component exponential functions as shown by the equation y_t =a ₂ e^k2^t – a ₁ e^k1^t + c. The three curves possessed similar rate constants for both components. Time to peak torque was achieved at similar times for testing at 160 and 200° · s ^–1 (p <.05). It is concluded that peak torque varies inversely with movement speed, and that the pattern of decrement is independent of movement speed. Time to peak torque does not appear to change significantly across trials in isokinetic fatigue.     

Competition and Instructional Set Effects On the Speed and Accuracy of a Throwing Task

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of competition and instructional sets on the speed and accuracy of a dart-throwing task. In both experiments individuals competed against another subject on one day, and performed under noncompetitive conditions on a second day. The five distinct instructional sets varied from extreme emphasis on speed to extreme emphasis on accuracy. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed main effects for instructional sets on speed and accuracy in both experiments. Strong tradeoffs occurred with speed slowing and accuracy improving as the instructional emphasis changed from speed to accuracy. A competition by instructional sets interaction in Experiment 2 indicated that competition facilitated speed when speed was important, but when instructions emphasized accuracy, speed was slower in competition than in noncompetition. Accuracy was not affected by competition.     

The act of collective worship: pupils’ perspectives

Data gathered as part of a recent research project into the provision of collective worship in schools in England and Wales reveals the existence of a marked variation in approach and provision between schools in the primary and secondary sectors. Consequently, the point of transfer often becomes a watershed in pupils’ experience. This sudden change, which is most apparent in community schools, is accompanied by a slower but pre-existing transition in attitudes which is common to pupils in all types of institution. Using material gathered from interviews with young people, this article examines the issue of participation in school worship from the pupils’ perspective and analyses the reasons they give for their opposition to provision. It then compares these attitudes with those of a previous generation, as demonstrated in the work of Loukes (1961 Loukes H (1961) Teenage Religion (London, SCM)  [Google Scholar]) and Goldman (1964 Goldman R (1964) Religious Thinking from Childhood to Adolescence (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul)  [Google Scholar], 1965 Goldman R (1965) Readiness for Religion (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul)  [Google Scholar]) in order to explore the underlying changes which influence students’ thinking. It concludes with a consideration of the implications of these findings for practice and policy.     

Heritability,Social Disadvantage and Psychosocial Intervention

To argue that anything as complex as human behaviour has multifactorial origins demanding a systems analysis is today almost a statement of the obvious. This does not, however, mean that a search for significant main effects in populations is unwarranted, provided that these can be shown in replicated studies across place and time. In this article two such effects will be examined. In both cases there is a massive amount of data available, much of it recent, and some of it based on sophisticated research designs.     

Education for girls in Ireland: secondary and vocational curricular provision 1930–1960

A challenge for historians of education is to explain the ways in which the development of education has been a gendered process. The literature tends to focus on primary and secondary schools; the role played by religious orders; the experiences of female teachers; ideological influences on curriculum; and the preparation of young girls for their role in society. Few historians, however, have examined vocational education and the impact of its ‘social efficiency’ orientation on girls. The literature that exists tends to treat both systems separately, and little effort has been made to compare the impact of both systems on girls’ opportunities within the society in which they lived. This omission in the literature is significant as such a comparison facilitates insights regarding state policies and priorities for the education of girls, the impact of social class, and national and local circumstances. This article compares both systems of education in Ireland and their impact on girls during the period 1930–1960.     

Quality assurance for distance learning: a case study at Brunel University

Brunel University currently has four distance learning MSc courses, with over 500 students registered, and one undergraduate distance learning course. Some have been running for over five years, and well‐established practices have been developed and provide a basis of support for the university. Quality assurance in the university has always been considered in three, equally important, ways: the curriculum and its assessment; the handling of coursework and assignments; and the liaison with students. The lesson we have learned is that a distance learning programme must be based on an existing full‐time MSc programme, which is the gold standard for curriculum and its assessment, and where possible, common examinations and assessment be used. This can be further assured by scrutinisation by the associated research council. This is going to become ever more important with the increasing scrutiny by overseas governments on the academic quality of distance learning courses, which seek assurance on the comparability and quality of degrees. Quality assurance for the handling of coursework and assignments must be secure and demands a high overhead of paperwork. Detailed feedback to students on their assignments is essential, but this can, at the same time, form a quality assurance check for later progression decisions. We also copy and retain approximately 10% of the assignments for the same purpose. Rapid turnaround is essential if feedback is to be timely and therefore useful, and quality checks on processing time should be standard. Quality assurance for the procedures for liaison with distance learning students are somewhat harder to measure quantitatively. The mark of good distance learning must be its tutorial support. This demands good communications. Our own course, entitled Data Communications Systems, benefits from the high proportion of use of electronic communications, namely email, which allows fast turnaround of questions, yet is not intrusive. However, it is deemed essential that hard copy of all such correspondence is kept. Migration to other Internet support services, such as the World Wide Web, videoconferencing and groupware, is inevitable.