Design and Application of Interactive Simulations in Problem-Solving in University-Level Physics Education

In recent years, interactive computer simulations have been progressively integrated in the teaching of the sciences and have contributed significant improvements in the teaching–learning process. Practicing problem-solving is a key factor in science and engineering education. The aim of this study was to design simulation-based problem-solving teaching materials and assess their effectiveness in improving students’ ability to solve problems in university-level physics. Firstly, we analyze the effect of using simulation-based materials in the development of students’ skills in employing procedures that are typically used in the scientific method of problem-solving. We found that a significant percentage of the experimental students used expert-type scientific procedures such as qualitative analysis of the problem, making hypotheses, and analysis of results. At the end of the course, only a minority of the students persisted with habits based solely on mathematical equations. Secondly, we compare the effectiveness in terms of problem-solving of the experimental group students with the students who are taught conventionally. We found that the implementation of the problem-solving strategy improved experimental students’ results regarding obtaining a correct solution from the academic point of view, in standard textbook problems. Thirdly, we explore students’ satisfaction with simulation-based problem-solving teaching materials and we found that the majority appear to be satisfied with the methodology proposed and took on a favorable attitude to learning problem-solving. The research was carried out among first-year Engineering Degree students.     

A methodological approach for object-relational database design using UML

The most common way of designing databases is by means of a conceptual model, such as E/R, without taking into account other views of the system. New object-oriented design languages, such as UML (Unified Modelling Language), allow the whole system, including the database schema, to be modelled in a uniform way. Moreover, as UML is an extendable language, it allows for any necessary introduction of new stereotypes for specific applications. Proposals exist to extend UML with stereotypes for database design but, unfortunately, they are focused on relational databases. However, new applications require complex objects to be represented in complex relationships, object-relational databases being more appropriate for these requirements. The framework of this paper is an Object-Relational Database Design Methodology, which defines new UML stereotypes for Object-Relational Database Design and proposes some guidelines to translate a UML conceptual schema into an object-relational schema. The guidelines are based on the SQL: 1999 object-relational model and on Oracle8i as a product example.     

Associations of total sedentary time,screen time and non-screen sedentary time with adiposity and physical fitness in youth: the mediating effect of physical activity

The aims of the present study were: i) to examine the associations of total accelerometer-based sedentary time (ST) and specific-domain self-reported ST (i.e., screen-based, educational-based, social-based, and other-based ST) with adiposity and physical fitness in youth; and ii) to analyse the mediation effect of physical activity (PA) on associations.

This study was conducted with 415 children (9.1 ± 0.4 years) and 853 adolescents (13.6 ± 1.6 years) in Spain during 2011–2012. Total ST and PA were assessed by accelerometry. Leisure-time spent in twelve sedentary behaviours was self-reported. Adiposity and physical fitness was measured following the ALPHA battery for youth.

Total accelerometer-based ST was positively associated with global adiposity score in children, and negatively associated with global physical fitness score in children and adolescents; but relationships were not independent of PA. PA mediated all associations of accelerometer-based and self-reported ST with adiposity or physical fitness in children. Conversely, screen-, educational-, social-, and other-based ST were negatively related to physical fitness in adolescents, independently of PA.

These findings give an impetus to developing effective strategies for specifically promoting PA in children and for increasing PA while reducing ST in adolescents in order to produce improvements on adiposity and physical fitness.     

The peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test is related to physical match performance in young soccer players

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test (T-CAR) (PV_T-CAR) and physical match performance in young soccer players. Thirty-three youth soccer players were recruited from 2 non-professional clubs. Friendly matches and small-sided game were performed. Physical match demands were assessed using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. On a separate occasion, the players were submitted to the T-CAR. Players were categorised into 3 groups based on their T-CAR performance: Low (PV_T-CAR ≤ P33), Intermediate (P33 > PV_T-CAR < P66) and High (PV_T-CAR ≥ P66). The PV_T-CAR (15.5 ± 0.7 km·h^?1) was significantly related to high-intensity activities (HIA; r = 0.78, P < 0.001), high-intensity running (HIR; r = 0.66, P < 0.001), sprinting (r = 0.62, P < 0.001) and total distance (TD) covered (r = 0.47, P < 0.01) during friendly matches. The PV_T-CAR was strongly correlated with the amount of HIA (r = 0.81, P < 0.001), HIR (r = 0.85, P < 0.001) and TD covered (r = 0.81, P < 0.001) during small-sided game. No significant correlation was observed between the PV_T-CAR and distance of sprinting (r = 0.49, P = 0.067) during small-side game. Furthermore, players in the High group covered significantly more TD (10%) and did more HIA (42%), sprinting (31%) and HIR (25%) during friendly matches compared to the players classified as having Low performance on the T-CAR. These differences still remained after adjusting for chronological age (CA), maturity and body size. In conclusion, the current study gives empirical support to the ecological and construct validity of this novel field test (T-CAR) as an indicator of match-related physical performance in young soccer players during pubertal years.     

The ingestion of a caffeinated energy drink improves jump performance and activity patterns in elite badminton players

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a caffeine-containing energy drink to enhance physical and match performance in elite badminton players. Sixteen male and elite badminton players (25.4 ± 7.3 year; 71.8 ± 7.9 kg) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled and randomised experiment. On two different sessions, badminton players ingested 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass in the form of an energy drink or the same drink without caffeine (placebo). After 60 min, participants performed the following tests: handgrip maximal force production, smash jump without and with shuttlecock, squat jump, countermovement jump and the agility T-test. Later, a 45-min simulated badminton match was played. Players’ number of impacts and heart rate was measured during the match. The ingestion of the caffeinated energy drink increased squat jump height (34.5 ± 4.7 vs. 36.4 ± 4.3 cm; P < 0.05), squat jump peak power (P < 0.05), countermovement jump height (37.7 ± 4.5 vs. 39.5 ± 5.1 cm; P < 0.05) and countermovement jump peak power (P < 0.05). In addition, an increased number of total impacts was found during the badminton match (7395 ± 1594 vs. 7707 ± 2033 impacts; P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results show that the use of caffeine-containing energy drink may be an effective nutritional aid to increase jump performance and activity patterns during game in elite badminton players.     

Perceived neighborhood environmental characteristics and different types of physical activity among Brazilian adolescents

Little is known about the association between environmental characteristics and types of physical activity in adolescents in a Latin American context. The aim of this study was to examine the association between perceived neighborhood environmental characteristics and different types of physical activity in 2,874 adolescents from Joao Pessoa, Paraiba State, Northeastern Brazil. The types of activity measured by questionnaire (≥10 min/day) included sports, physical exercises, active commuting and recreational activities. Neighborhood characteristics were measured by a 15-item scale. Multilevel analyses showed that adolescents who reported “having places they liked to go to” (OR = 1.41; 95%CI: 1.10–1.79) and “places with opportunities to practice” (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.01–1.65) were more likely to play sports. “Seeing interesting things while walking” (OR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.01–1.53) and “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activity” (OR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1,05–2,06) were associated with exercises. “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activity” (OR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1.18–1.82), “the neighborhood is not violent” (OR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.04–1.60) and “having places they like to go to” (OR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.13–2.25) were positively associated and “places with opportunities to practice” (OR = 0.79; 95%CI: 0.63–0.98) inversely related to active commuting. “Seeing other adolescents engaged in physical activities” (OR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.05–1.63) and “seeing interesting things while walking” (OR = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.02–1.56) were associated with recreational activities. Neighborhood environmental characteristics associated with the physical activity vary with the type of practices adopted by adolescents.     

Physical activity and school recess time: differences between the sexes and the relationship between children's playground physical activity and habitual physical activity

The aims of this study were: (1) to observe participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school recess periods; (2) to determine the relative importance of physical activity during recesses to overall daily physical activity; and (3) to examine differences in physical activity between the sexes during unstructured recess periods. The participants were 22 school children (10 boys, 12 girls) aged 8 - 10 years (mean = 8.9, s = 0.7) in the third and fourth grades. Daily totals for the physical activity variables were calculated by summing the values for each hour of 14 h of physical activity measurements (08:00 to 22:00 h). Recess times (minutes) were as follows: morning 10:30 to 11:00 h and afternoon 15:30 to 16:00 h. We did not differences between boys and girls in daily total accelerometer counts or the overall time spent in MVPA. However, girls were significantly (P < 0.05) more involved (38%) in MVPA during recess time than boys (31%). Participation in MVPA during recess contributes significantly more (P < 0.05) for girls (19%) than boys (15%) to the total amount of physical activity suggested by international health-related physical activity guidelines, while the percentage of time engaged in MVPA during recess time at school accounts for a small amount of the daily MVPA (6% for boys and 8% for girls). The results of this study suggest that school recess time is an important setting to promote MVPA and contributes to daily physical activity in young children, especially in girls.     

Questionnaire on Perceived Competency-based Learning for primary school students (#ICOMpri1) / Cuestionario del Aprendizaje Percibido basado en Competencias para el Alumnado de Educación Primaria (#ICOMPri1)

The purpose of this study was to design and validate an assessment tool to find out how primary school students perceive their competency-based learning. By examining the content validity (n = 35 experts), comprehension (n = 173 students) and construct (n = 523 students) of the instrument, the results showed correct psychometric quality, internal consistency, reliability and adequacy of the structural model: χ²/df = 2.08, TLI = 0.88, CFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.04, and SRMR = 0.04. The final version of the Questionnaire on Perceived Competency-based Learning of primary school students (#ICOMpri1) includes eight dimensions and 27 items. The results showed a high perceived competency-based learning of primary school students. This is therefore a valid and reliable instrument that provides a more subjective and real vision of primary students’ academic performance. Nevertheless, future studies should analyse the criterion-related validity by comparing perception results with those of international academic achievement.     

Effectiveness and motivation towards the use of video tutorials when learning how to use music software / Efectividad y motivación hacia el uso de videotutoriales para el aprendizaje de un software musical

Abstract

The objective of this study is to highlight the potential of video tutorials for learning how to use music editing software as well as students’ perceptions of their use. The project has been developed within a flipped-classroom approach, in which students studied with two types of resources: video tutorials and printed tutorials created ad hoc. Using a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design, students participating in the project (n = 48) were divided into an experimental group (video tutorials) and a control group (printed tutorials) in order to evaluate the resource used according to: (1) academic results achieved; (2) students’ independence; (3) time spent completing tasks; (4) motivation generated by the resource. The resource used did not result in an improvement of academic performance in those students who used video tutorials. However, there has been an improvement in time invested in the production of scores, students’ autonomy in relation to the teacher and motivation towards the resource used.