The impact of a university teaching development programme on student approaches to studying and learning experience: evidence from Chile

In this paper, we analyse the impact of teacher participation in a University Teaching Diploma on student approaches to studying and learning experience. A quasi-experimental and multilevel design was employed. University teachers answered the Approaches to Teaching Inventory and students completed the Course Experience Questionnaire and the Study Process Questionnaire. In addition, contextual variables were included for both teachers and students. The total sample included 44 teachers and 686 students. Of these, 25 university teachers had completed the University Teaching Diploma and 19 had not; 373 students were in courses with a diploma teacher and 313 in courses were not. Results show that those university teachers who have completed the programme have, in their courses, students who were more likely to declare having adopted a deep approach to studying than those teachers who have not participated in the diploma. At the same time, no significant impact was found on the student learning experience. For practical purposes, this investigation provides evidence for the value of teaching development programmes in promoting deeper approaches to studying. For research purposes, it proposes the use of multilevel models to evaluate the impact of university teaching diplomas.     

The Impact of School Improvement Grants on Student Outcomes: Findings From a National Evaluation Using a Regression Discontinuity Design

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program received more than $3 billion with the goal of substantially improving student achievement. The SIG program’s funding was to help states turn around the nation’s persistently lowest-achieving schools using one of four school intervention models—transformation, turnaround, restart, or closure. We used a regression discontinuity design and a large sample of schools from more than 20 states to evaluate the impact of implementing a SIG-funded intervention model on use of SIG-promoted practices and student outcomes. Our regression discontinuity design exploited cutoff values on the continuous variables used to define the SIG eligibility tiers to compare outcomes in schools that just met the eligibility cutoff for receiving SIG funding to outcomes in schools that just missed it. We found that SIG had no impact on any of the outcomes we examined, including math and reading test scores, high school graduation rates, and college enrollment rates. Using a correlational analysis, we found the turnaround model was associated with larger student achievement gains in math than the transformation model for grades 6 through 12.     

Peer teaching among physical therapy students during human gross anatomy: Perceptions of peer teachers and students

Despite nearly 200 accredited entry‐level physical therapist education programs in the United States that culminate in a doctoral degree, only a paucity of reports have been published regarding the efficacy of peer teaching in gross anatomy. No one has described the usefulness of peer teaching from the viewpoint of the peer teacher. An organized peer teaching method provided by four second‐year doctors of physical therapy (DPT) students in a semester course in gross anatomy had a positive impact on the academic performance in gross anatomy of first‐year DPT students. The unique feature of the weekly peer teaching sessions was a packet assembled by the second‐year peer teachers, which contained diagrams, fill‐in‐the blank questions, and helpful mnemonic devices. This study surveyed perceptions of first‐year DPT students in response to a peer teaching method, using a structured 10‐item questionnaire and a five‐point Likert scale. Second‐year DPT peer teachers provided written reflections about the benefits and challenges of serving as a peer teacher. Results revealed that 13 planned peer‐teaching experiences provided by four second‐year DPT students were valuable and promoted a firm understanding of anatomical relationships important for the clinical competence of physical therapist students. Moreover, peer teachers acknowledged acquiring clinically desirable teaching, academic, organizational, and time management skills from the experience. As a result, physical therapist educators may wish to consider this model of peer teaching to augment their teaching strategies for a class in gross human anatomy. Anat Sci Ed 1:199–206, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.     

Dissipative observers for discrete-time nonlinear systems

This paper addresses the problem of designing a state observer for a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems using the dissipativity theory. We show that the dissipative observation methodology, originally proposed by one of the authors for continuous-time nonlinear systems, can be extended to the discrete-time case. For constructing a convergent observer, the methodology is applied to the nonlinear estimation error dynamics, which is decomposed into a discrete-time Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) subsystem in the forward loop, connected to a time-varying static nonlinearity in the feedback loop. In order to assure asymptotic stability of the closed-loop, complementary dissipativity conditions are imposed on each of the subsystems: (i) the static nonlinearity is required to be dissipative with respect to a quadratic supply rate, and (ii) the observer gains are designed such that the LTI system is dissipative with respect to a complementary supply rate. As in the continuous time framework, the proposed method includes as special cases, unifies and generalizes some observer design methods proposed previously in the literature. A great advantage of the Dissipative Observer Design Method proposed here is that it leads to Matrix Inequalities for the design of the observer gains, and these can be usually converted into Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI’s). The results are illustrated using Chua’s Chaotic system.     

Clustering performances in the NBA according to players’ anthropometric attributes and playing experience

The aim of this study was: (i) to group basketball players into similar clusters based on a combination of anthropometric characteristics and playing experience; and (ii) explore the distribution of players (included starters and non-starters) from different levels of teams within the obtained clusters. The game-related statistics from 699 regular season balanced games were analyzed using a two-step cluster model and a discriminant analysis. The clustering process allowed identifying five different player profiles: Top height and weight (HW) with low experience, TopHW-LowE; Middle HW with middle experience, MiddleHW-MiddleE; Middle HW with top experience, MiddleHW-TopE; Low HW with low experience, LowHW-LowE; Low HW with middle experience, LowHW-MiddleE. Discriminant analysis showed that TopHW-LowE group was highlighted by two-point field goals made and missed, offensive and defensive rebounds, blocks, and personal fouls; whereas the LowHW-LowE group made fewest passes and touches. The players from weaker teams were mostly distributed in LowHW-LowE group, whereas players from stronger teams were mainly grouped in LowHW-MiddleE group; and players that participated in the finals were allocated in the MiddleHW-MiddleE group. These results provide alternative references for basketball staff concerning the process of evaluating performance.     

Preservice Primary Teachers' Understanding of the Concept of Altitude of a Triangle

The way teachers understand mathematics strongly influences their teaching and what their pupils learn. Using Vinner's model of acquisition of mathematical concepts with its distinction of concept image and concept definition as a framework, we analyze concept images, difficulties, and errors related to the concept of altitude of a triangle exhibited by 190 preservice primary teachers in a written test. We describe the influence of two variables on the preservice teachers' performances: (a) the presence of a formal definition and (b) previous classroom activities that dealt with the concept of altitude. We categorize and analyze some common errors and identify the concept images that may lead to those errors. Finally, we present some implications of our results for teacher education. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Towards the use of multidimensional performance indicators in football small-sided games: the effects of pitch orientation

This study aimed to compare youth football players’ performance during two small-sided games with different pitch orientation: i) 40x30m and ii) 30x40m formats. Twenty under-15 players (age = 14.1 ± 0.5 years) participated in nine GK+4vs4+GK situations in each format, with the duration of six minutes each. Positional data were collected using individual GPS units, and computed for tactical and physical performance indicators. The SSG were video recorded, using notational analysis for collecting technical indicators. A novel method that incorporates time dependent notational information with spatiotemporal data was used to compute multidimensional parameters. Standardised effect sizes and non-clinical magnitude-based inferences were used to compare formats. Results showed that players covered more distance at higher intensities, presented more passes and dribbles and were more synchronised in the longitudinal axis while playing in the 40x30m pitch. In the 30x40m pitch, results showed a lower distance between team centroids, higher number of shots, more lateral passes and a wider team positioning. Multidimensional indicators, as players position and distance to the closest defender while shooting, revealed a more constant distance between attacker and defender in the 40x30m pitch. These results highlight the importance of integrating information from different indicators for a contextually valid information.     

Do previous sports experiences influence the effect of an enrichment programme in basketball skills?

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an enrichment programme in motor, technical and tactical basketball skills, when accounting for the age of youth sport specialisation. Seventy-six college students (age: M = 20.4, SD = 1.9) were allocated according to three different paths: (i) non-structured (n = 14), (ii) early specialisation (n = 34), and (iii) late specialisation (n = 28), according to information previously provided by the participants about the quantity and type of sporting activities performed throughout their sporting careers. Then, the participants of each path were randomly distributed across control and experimental groups. Variables under study included agility, technical skills circuit, as well as tactical actions performed in a 4-on-4 full-court basketball game. The results indicated improvements in the early and late specialisation paths namely in the experimental training groups. However, the late specialisation path revealed larger benefits, in contrast with the non-structured path, which showed less sensitivity to the enrichment programme, mostly sustained in physical literacy and differential learning. Higher improvements were observed in agility, and also in reducing the number of unsuccessful actions performed during the game. Overall, this study provided evidence of how early sports experiences affect basketball skill acquisition and contribute to adapt to new contexts with motor and technical-tactical challenges. In addition, a path supported by late specialisation might present several advantages in sport performance achievement.