Human performance modeling: A case study

Modeling critical performance elements can assist the human performance technology practitioner in better understanding the often complex, messy, and fuzzy real world of human performance. As illustrated in the embedded case study, generically developed models that, in turn, can be adapted to context‐specific applications often have the greatest practical value. The key in developing any good model is to first identify those key variables—the critical few—that truly account for the greatest variance in performance.     

Practice makes proficient: teaching undergraduate students to understand published research

Scientific knowledge, including the critical evaluation and comprehension of empirical articles, is a key skill valued by most undergraduate institutions for students within the sciences. Students often find it difficult to not only summarize empirical journal articles, but moreover to successfully grasp the quality and rigor of investigation behind the source. In this paper, we use instructional scaffolds (reading worksheets, RWs, with tutorials) to aid students in being able to comprehend, and ultimately transfer, the skills necessary in critically evaluating primary sources of research. We assess students’ learning of these skills on a multiple-choice assessment of Journal Article Comprehension (JAC). Students in experimental classes, who received instructional scaffolds, improved on the JAC post-test compared with students in control classes. This result shows that students are acquiring fundamental research skills such as understanding the components of research articles. We also showed that improvement on the JAC post-test for the experimental class extended to a written summary test. This result suggests that students in the experimental group are developing discipline-specific science process skills that allow them to apply JAC skills to a near-transfer task of writing a summary.     

Impact and educational outcomes of a small group self‐directed teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum

The complexity of the material being taught in clinical neuroscience within the medical school curriculum requires creative pedagogies to teach medical students effectively. Many clinical teaching strategies have been developed and are well described to address these challenges. However, only a few have been evaluated to determine their impact on the performance of students studying clinical neuroscience. Interactive, 2‐hour, self‐directed small‐group interactive clinical case‐based learning sessions were conducted weekly for 4 weeks to integrate concepts learned in the corresponding didactic lectures. Students in the small groups analyzed cases of patients suffering from neurological disease that were based on eight learning objectives that allowed them to evaluate neuroanatomical data and clinical findings before presenting their case analysis to the larger group. Students’ performances on the formative quizzes and summative tests were compared to those of first‐year medical students in the previous year for whom the self‐directed, small‐group interactive clinical sessions were not available. There was a significant improvement in the summative performance of first‐year medical students with self‐directed clinical case learning in the second year (Y2) of teaching clinical neuroscience (P < 0.05) when compared with first‐year students in the first year (Y1) for whom the self‐directed learning approach was not available. Student performance in the formative assessments between Y1 and Y2 was not significantly different (P = 0.803). A target of ≥70% student scoring above 80% in the final summative examination was met. The current study revealed evidence for the impact and educational outcomes of a self‐directed, clinical teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum for first‐year medical students. Anat Sci Educ 11: 478–487. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

Prediction of performance by heart rate-derived parameters in recreational runners

We investigated whether heart rate (HR)-derived parameters are accurate performance predictors in endurance recreational runners. One hundred thirty recreational athletes completed an incremental running test (4´running + 1´rest). After each stage, we recorded HR, % of maximum HR (%HRmax), and blood lactate. We also assessed HR after each recovery period, and calculated lactate and HR recovery thresholds and HR deflection point. We tested these parameters for associations with running performance, as measured by peak treadmill speed (PTS) and personal best International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) score. The %HRmax at 14.5 km·h^?1 correlated with PTS (r = ?0.92), and IAAF score (rho = ?0.80). The magnitudes of the correlations of lactate-related parameters with PTS (|r| = 0.84 to 0.86) or IAAF score (|rho| = 0.70 to 0.77) in absolute values were slightly lower. The correlations detected between other HR-derived parameters and running performance were weaker (|r or rho| = 0.24 to 0.70). Regression models identified %HRmax at 14.5 km·h^?1 as the strongest predictor of both PTS (β = ?0.72) and IAAF score (β = ?0.72). Consequently, tests based on %HRmax may provide a non-invasive and inexpensive alternate method for predicting the performance of these athletes.     

Leveraging community sport organizations to promote community capacity: Strategic outcomes,challenges, and theoretical considerations

Community sport organizations (CSOs) provide valuable contexts for promoting community development. These initiatives are most effective when they involve local stakeholders in the process of development. A key first step to achieving this objective is building community capacity, defined as local stakeholders’ skills, knowledge, and resources that may be leveraged for change. Interestingly, despite this conceptual importance, few researchers have focused on capacity building in the sport context. This has limited the theoretical advancement of community capacity theory as it relates to CSOs and community development. Using a qualitative case study approach, the authors analyze the outcomes and challenges of implementing community capacity building strategies in an American CSO, and draw on the empirical data to contribute to this theoretical conversation. Interviews, participant observation, and document analysis were used to generate data, and deductive techniques were used for thematic analysis. The results highlight the outcomes of the capacity building strategies and challenges associated with implementation. In addition, the conclusion focuses on theoretical contributions to community capacity theory, namely the role of sport in facilitating inter-community relations across social groups and the link with process models of organizational capacity.     

Decrements in knee extensor and flexor strength are associated with performance fatigue during simulated basketball game-play in adolescent,male players

This study quantified lower-limb strength decrements and assessed the relationships between strength decrements and performance fatigue during simulated basketball. Ten adolescent, male basketball players completed a circuit-based, basketball simulation. Sprint and jump performance were assessed during each circuit, with knee flexion and extension peak concentric torques measured at baseline, half-time, and full-time. Decrement scores were calculated for all measures. Mean knee flexor strength decrement was significantly (P < 0.05) related to sprint fatigue in the first half (R = 0.65), with dominant knee flexor strength (R = 0.67) and dominant flexor:extensor strength ratio (R = 0.77) decrement significantly (P < 0.05) associated with sprint decrement across the entire game. Mean knee extensor strength (R = 0.71), dominant knee flexor strength (R = 0.80), non-dominant knee flexor strength (R = 0.75), mean knee flexor strength (R = 0.81), non-dominant flexor:extensor strength ratio (R = 0.71), and mean flexor:extensor strength ratio (R = 0.70) decrement measures significantly (P < 0.05) influenced jump fatigue during the entire game. Lower-limb strength decrements may exert an important influence on performance fatigue during basketball activity in adolescent, male players. Consequently, training plans should aim to mitigate lower-limb fatigue to optimise sprint and jump performance during game-play.     

Age Differences in Children's Ability to Model Motor Behavior

Abstract

In order to investigate the effects of modeling behavior for seven- and nine-year-old children, 30 seven-year-old and 30 nine-year-old females were randomly assigned within age level to three groups. These groups differed according to whether a model was presented at the beginning, midway, or not at all during 12 trials on the stabilometer. Both age groups were found to be similar in performance in the no model condition and, for both age groups, the beginning model condition was found to facilitate performance. However, the introduction of the model after six trials had a detrimental effect on the performance of younger children but facilitated older children's performance. These findings were interpreted in light of a likely increase in the processing capacity of nine year olds as well as an increase in the number of movement schemes that were previously stored in the older girls.     

Effect of Divided Attention on Children's Rhythmic Response

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of selective attention in rhythmic response of children. A motor rhythmic response of grade 2 (N = 30) and grade 4 (N = 29) boys was examined with respect to the sensory modality of a secondary stimulus input. It is thought that the information processing capacity of children, as manifested in the processes of selective attention, may be a factor in the developmental changes in motor skill learning and performance. Using a rhythmic analysis system, subjects in each grade level performed ten blocks of five trials in one of three groups: control, audio interference, and visual interference. Output from a dual-channel recorder was scored to give time and space errors (AE and CE). Performance variation (VE) was calculated from the error scores. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed significantly better performance by the grade 4 subjects. The treatment conditions did not significantly impair performance as measured by CE error scores. The audio input resulted in significantly less consistent temporal performance (VE).     

Grip and Forearm Position Effects on Tests of Static and Dynamic Upper Body Endurance

Abstract

The effects of grip and forearm position on two tests of upper body muscular endurance were investigated in 109 male subjects 18–21 years of age. Subjects were systematically presented 12 tasks: six pull-up and six straight-arm hang grip and forearm variations. Each of the six tasks for both endurance tests represented a different combination of grip (thumb over bar and thumb under bar) and forearm position (pronated, supinated and semi-pronated). Task results were analyzed utilizing 2 × 3 (grip × forearm) ANOVA with repeated measures on the two factors. Analysis of pull-up data revealed that the semi-pronated and supinated forearm positions were not statistically different from each other, but superior to the pronated condition. Results of straight-arm hang performance revealed a significant difference between grips at the semi-pronated position, with the “thumb under bar” being superior. Results for forearm positions at grips indicated a significant difference for the “thumb under bar,” with the pronated and semi-pronated positions being superior to the supinated position. For forearm positions at “thumb over bar,” the pronated condition was significantly different from the semi-pronated and supinated positions. Thumb position trends and kinesiological mechanical analysis did foster general recommendations for use of the “thumb over bar” for pull-ups and the “thumb under bar” position for the straight-arm hang.     

A Cross-Cultural Perspective of Parental Influence on Female Adolescents' Achievement Beliefs and Behaviors in Sport and School Domains

Little is known about parental socialization processes for youth participants from different cultural backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to examine parental influence on self-perceptions, task values, and achievement behaviors among female adolescents from two cultures using Eccles' expectancy-value theory (Eccles et al., 1983) . Twelve Anglo Canadian and nine East Indian female adolescents were interviewed about perceptions of parental influence on expectancy-value constructs for sport and academic domains. Inductive and deductive content analyses were performed to identify lower and higher order themes from interview responses. Similarities and differences in perceived parental influence emerged for girls of both cultural groups and in both domains. Our findings support links among expectancy-value constructs and highlight cultural variations in parental socialization of achievement cognitions and behaviors in multiple domains.