Easing the transition of first year undergraduates through an immersive induction module

Entry into higher education (HE) is recognised as a challenging time for undergraduates as they negotiate the norms and practices of new academic communities and foster relationships with peers and academics. Given the significance of this time period, our University has piloted a new four-week module that immerses students in their discipline and provides them with the academic skills and networks to support them through this period and beyond. Here we report a comprehensive evaluation examining academic and student experience of this immersive module. We explore its impact on essential aspects of the transition experience e.g. social integration, academic literacies and the sense of preparation for HE. Whilst this new approach did have positive impacts on students’ sense of integration, questions were raised around the extent to which it matched or even raised expectations, and the extent to which this prepared students for the rest of their studies.     

Jason Lezak again and again - linear mixed modelling analysis of change–over times in relay swimming races

The aim of this study was to examine the importance of the change-over time in swimming relay races. Top-class international 4 x 100 m freestyle races were analysed across a 10-year period including three Olympic Games and five European and World Championships. A total of 220 swimmers (116 female, 104 male) were included in this study with an average participation of 1.7 ± 1.2 races. To consider such repeated measurements and other factors (e.g., ranking in the relay race, position in the relay team) linear mixed models for longitudinal data were used for the statistical evaluation. Our results showed significantly longer change-over times for male medallists (0.23 ± 0.08 s) than non-medallists (0.20 ± 0.09 s) which reflects a very likely effect (94.2%). Furthermore, there were significant differences in change-over times between female and male swimmers depending on the current race positions. In total, the influence of change-over time on the final performance in 4 x 100-m freestyle relay appears to be overrated in previous studies.     

Learning relay start strategies in swimming: What feedback is best?

In the past, studies and book recommendations on relay starts in swimming have been predominantly focused on the change-over time (COT) as a performance criterion. Aside from the circular backswing start with parallel foot placement, few studies have analysed differences in the take-off movement including step approaches as well. Although trends could be identified, the results remained still somewhat inconclusive. In contrast, no study has examined as has examined whether a reduction of COT in between wall contact of the income swimmer and the take-off of the outgoing swimmer is an optimal relay start strategy, as advocated by various swimming experts. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare two different relay start strategies: offensive strategy minimizing COT and conservative strategy to maximize horizontal peak force (HPF). In this regard, a learning intervention with 24 elite-level swimmers (12 females, 12 male) was conducted to compare both strategies regarding relay start time, HPF and COT. Subjects were randomly assigned to two feedback groups: COT versus HPF at take-off. The results of this study showed a clear advantage for HPF feedback for relay start performance measured by wall contact of the incoming swimmer and head passage at 7.5?m of the outgoing swimmer. In addition, similar reductions in COTs were found in both training groups. In conclusion, swimmers should focus on force production rather than minimizing COT. For the latter, deteriorating consequences for force production must be considered.     

Analysis of anticipation by 3D motion capturing – a new method presented in karate kumite

Anticipation is an important performance factor in karate kumite. A new approach analysing anticipation in realistic combat situations by motion capturing with a high temporal resolution is presented. The advantage of this approach is that both karate athletes interacting sports specific can be recorded synchronously; thus, the presented method has the potential to analyse visual information pickup due to coordination pattern of interaction between real athletes. The aim is to demonstrate the usability of the current method for anticipation research and to investigate if the distance between two athletes and their attacking technique play a role in the reaction of the defending athlete. Furthermore, relevant cues lying within each attacking technique and little individual differences are shown. Four male karate athletes took part in this study. Logistic regression indicated that both factors (distance × attacking technique) play a significant role in reaction. However, a correlation between these factors shows that only the attacking technique is a good predictor for reaction. Results show that the attacking technique jabbing punch (jap. Kizami-Zuki) was easier to anticipate than the attacking techniques reverse punch (jap. Gyaku-Zuki) and the round kick (jap. Mawashi-Geri).     

Four weeks of high cadence training alter brain cortical activity in cyclists

ABSTRACT

Exercise at different cadences might serve as potential stimulus for functional adaptations of the brain, because cortical activation is sensitive to frequency of movement. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high (HCT) and low cadence training (LCT) on brain cortical activity during exercise as well as endurance performance.

Cyclists were randomly assigned to low and high cadence training. Over the 4-week training period, participants performed 4 h of basic endurance training as well as four additional cadence-specific exercise sessions, 60 min weekly. At baseline and after 4 weeks, participants completed an incremental exercise test with spirometry and exercise at constant load with registration of electroencephalogram (EEG).

Compared with LCT, a greater increase of frontal alpha/beta ratio was confirmed in HCT. This was based on a lower level of beta activity during exercise. Both groups showed similar improvements in maximal oxygen consumption and power at the individual anaerobic threshold.

Whereas HCT and LCT elicit similar benefits on aerobic performance, cycling at high pedalling frequencies enables participants to perform an exercise bout with less cortical activation.     

Inclusion in Israel: coping resources and job satisfaction as explanatory factors of stress in two cultural groups

The aim of this study was to explore the differences between the two cultural groups of Jewish and Arab teachers on several variables and to analyse their link to stress. Specifically, I examined sense of coherence (SOC), sense of school community and job satisfaction among regular Jewish and Arab teachers in regular schools and classes who have special education students in their classes. Furthermore, I investigated how the different coping resources – SOC and sense of school community – explain the stress reactions of state anxiety and state anger directly and indirectly via job satisfaction and also the direct prediction of stress by job satisfaction. Data were gathered from 634 Jewish and Arab teachers (80% Jews) who completed self‐report questionnaires that measured SOC, sense of community, employee satisfaction inventory, state anxiety and state anger. Differences in SOC and sense of school community were found between the two groups such that Jews reported stronger SOC, and Arabs reported stronger sense of school community. Further differences were revealed in the links of the different coping resources to stress reactions. The results are discussed against the backdrop of cultural background and the salutogenic model.     

Policy learning in Swiss research policy—the case of the National Centres of Competence in Research

The article treats the problem of “rationality” in learning processes in research policies. The underlying hypothesis is that there are contemporary efforts in research policy-making, which, against views in organisational sociology like “bounded rationality” or “garbage-can”, endeavour to “rationalise” the process of decision-making in research policies. This hypothesis is worked out by taking one example, the setting-up of the “National Centres of Competence in Research” (NCCR) in Switzerland and analyse the processes that have contributed to the acceptance of this funding measure. Our finding is that Switzerland has introduced some “rationalising devices” but that these devices are still insufficiently institutionalised and can be further elaborated. In addition, it is made clear that goal-oriented problem-solving and interests are closely intertwined and cannot be dissociated from another. This may have distorting effects on the rationality of the learning process. It is, nevertheless, a necessary condition in order to learn at all.     

Measuring Teaching Effectiveness: Correspondence Between Students’ Evaluations of Teaching and Different Measures of Student Learning

Relating students?? evaluations of teaching (SETs) to student learning as an approach to validate SETs has produced inconsistent results. The present study tested the hypothesis that the strength of association of SETs and student learning varies with the criteria used to indicate student learning. A multisection validity approach was employed to investigate the association of SETs and two different criteria of student learning, a multiple-choice test and a practical examination. Participants were N?=?883 medical students, enrolled in k?=?32 sections of the same course. As expected, results showed a strong positive association between SETs and the practical examination but no significant correlation between SETs and multiple-choice test scores. Furthermore, students?? subjective perception of learning significantly correlated with the practical examination score whereas no relation was found for subjective learning and the multiple choice test. It is discussed whether these results might be due to different measures of student learning varying in the degree to which they reflect teaching effectiveness.