Effects of treadmill running and fatigue on impact acceleration in distance running

The effects of treadmill running on impact acceleration were examined together with the interaction between running surface and runner's fatigue state. Twenty recreational runners (11 men and 9 women) ran overground and on a treadmill (at 4.0 m/s) before and after a fatigue protocol consisting of a 30-minute run at 85% of individual maximal aerobic speed. Impact accelerations were analysed using two lightweight capacitive uniaxial accelerometers. A two-way repeated-measure analysis of variance showed that, in the pre-fatigue condition, the treadmill running decreased head and tibial peak impact accelerations and impact rates (the rate of change of acceleration), but no significant difference was observed between the two surfaces in shock attenuation. There was no significant difference in acceleration parameters between the two surfaces in the post-fatigue condition. There was a significant interaction between surface (treadmill and overground) and fatigue state (pre-fatigue and post-fatigue). In particular, fatigue when running overground decreased impact acceleration severity, but it had no such effect when running on the treadmill. The effects of treadmill running and the interaction need to be taken into account when interpreting the results of studies that use a treadmill in their experimental protocols, and when prescribing physical exercise.     

Introducing MOOC-like methodologies in a face-to-face undergraduate course: a detailed case study

During the last years online education, in particular Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), has contributed to spread and popularize educational methodologies such as peer-review, automatic assessment, self-paced courses, self-evaluation, etc. Although these techniques can benefit face-to-face courses, most of them are not yet widely used in these courses. In this paper we present our experience integrating MOOC-like techniques in a face-to-face first year undergraduate course. We describe the academic and institutional context of the project, how we designed and adapted the methodologies to our face-to-face course, the software tools that we have used and developed to support and integrate such methodologies and, finally, we discuss some lessons learned from the experience that can be useful to potential users of these methodologies in face-to-face courses.     

Exploring affiliation network models as a collaborative filtering mechanism in e-learning

The online interaction of learners and tutors in activities with concrete objectives provides a valuable source of data that can be analyzed for different purposes. One of these purposes is the use of the information extracted from that interaction to aid tutors and learners in decision making about either the configuration of further learning activities or the filtering of learning resources. This article explores the use of an affiliation network model for such kind of purposes. Concretely, the use of techniques such as blockmodeling – a technique used to derive meaningful patterns of relationships in the network – and the analysis of m-slices – a technique helpful to study cohesion in relationships – are explored as tools to decide on the configuration of topics and/or learner groups. In particular, the results of the case study show that such techniques can be used to (i) filter participants for rearranging groups; (ii) rearrange topics of interest; and (iii) dynamically change the structure of a course. The techniques presented can be considered a case of collaborative filtering based on social network structure.     

The building of pre-service primary teachers’ knowledge of mathematics teaching: interaction and online video case studies

This study explores how preservice primary teachers became engaged in meaning-making mathematics teaching when participating in online discussions within learning environments integrating video-clips of mathematics teaching. We identified different modes of participation in the online discussions and different levels of knowledge-building. The data can be explained by the type of task set in the learning environments and by a gradually improved shared understanding of the teaching. The structure of the learning environments supported inquiry into meaningful topics and knowledge-building through activities like identifying, interpreting and designing. These findings suggest that the different types of task and conditions of online discussion in the learning environments influence the nature of the interaction showing the correspondence between synergistic interaction and higher-order thinking.     

Environmental Education as Facilitator of the Use of Ecological Information: A case study in Mexico

Ecological research is expected to provide a scientific basis on which environmental management decisions can be taken. Environmental education is seen as raising environmental awareness among human populations and as a provider of the knowledge, values, attitudes and skills needed to protect the environment. This article proposes that in the context of developing countries such as Mexico, one role for environmental education is to facilitate the utilisation of ecological information in the solution of problems. In order to outline how this can work in practice, a case study is used to outline the role of environmental education as the linkage between science (its institutions, actors and products) and different sectors of society involved in the management of ecosystems, their resources and the services they provide.     

Estudio comparativo de la evaluación de la lectura oral y la lectura silenciosa

Resumen

El propósito de este trabajo es comparar los procesos implicados en la lectura oral y en la lectura silenciosa, teniendo en cuenta factores tales como la edad de los sujetos, (se trabaja con individuos de 2.°, 4.° y 6.° cursos de E. G. B.), y el propósito o intención con la que se lee. Se emplean tests tipo «cloze», en los que los sujetos tienen que completar (predecir) los espacios en blanco del texto. Las puntuaciones se obtienen del análisis de los errores cometidos en ambos tipos de lectura, según un método derivado del de Goodman y Burke (1973); como medidas se toman la comprensión lectora y la velocidad de lectura. Por último, se ofrecen una serie de conclusiones respecto a los tipos de lectura, respecto al procedimiento de evaluación y respecto a las medidas utilizadas.     

On the use of extended TAM to assess students' acceptance and intent to use third‐generation learning management systems

Service‐oriented e‐learning platforms can be considered as a third generation of learning management systems (LMSs). As opposed to the previous generations, consisting of ad hoc solutions and traditional LMS, this new technology contemplates e‐learning systems as services that can be integrated into different learning scenarios. This paper shows that the flexibility of these systems allows building personal learning environments and proposes the use of an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess the acceptance and intention to use a third generation of LMS. To fit and validate the service‐oriented e‐learning platforms acceptance model, structural equation modeling and path analysis have been implemented. The results point out that the intention to use this third‐generation LMS is determined by the gadgets and container design, both of which are structural elements of this technology. Finally, it is also shown that previous experience does not determine the use intention of this technology.     

Improving OER descriptions to enhance their availability,reuse, and enrichment

Education and Information Technologies - Nowadays, information and communication technologies (ICTs) and virtual training have increased the use of educational resources. This growth use has...     

Secondary School Mathematics Teacher's Professional Knowledge: A case from the teaching of the concept of function

This study examines the relationships between a secondary Mathematics teacher's pedagogical content knowledge and the dilemmas posed when teaching the concept of function. Alternative tools and procedures for analysing these relationships are used. The results illustrate the flexibility of her knowledge use in Mathematics teaching and how it is related to her knowledge of the pupils as Mathematics learners. In addition, it highlights the central role played by the teacher's knowledge about pupil comprehension in the content and organisation of her teaching agenda. The difference that the teacher establishes between exercise and problem shows her struggle with the two-fold understanding-memorisation of procedures as the content of a teaching dilemma. The results obtained suggest the need for secondary Mathematics teacher education programmes to adopt approaches that take into account the central role played by teacher knowledge about Mathematics learning, and the dilemmas generated when teachers have to reconcile objectives that are apparently contradictory during their teaching practice.