Evidence on the efficacy of school-based incentives for healthy living

We analyze the effects of a school-based program that offers children an opportunity to win prizes if they walk or bike to school during prize periods. We use daily child-level data and individual fixed effects models to measure the effect of the prizes, with variation in the timing of prize periods across different schools allowing us to estimate models with calendar-date fixed effects to control for day-specific attributes, such as weather and proximity to holidays. On average, we find that being in a prize period increases the riding behavior of participating children by sixteen percent, a large impact given that the prize value is just six cents per student. We also find that winning a prize lottery has a positive impact on ridership over subsequent weeks; consider heterogeneity across prize type, gender, age, and calendar month; and explore differential effects on the intensive versus extensive margins.     

A preliminary analysis of teacher perceptions of the effects of NAPLAN on pedagogy and curriculum

This paper reports preliminary survey findings of Western Australian and South Australian teacher perceptions of the impact of NAPLAN on curriculum and pedagogy in their classroom and school. The paper examines how teachers perceive the effects of NAPLAN on curriculum and pedagogy and whether these perceptions mediated by the teacher’s gender, the socioeconomics of the school, the State and the school system in which the teacher works. Teachers report that they are either choosing or being instructed to teach to the test, that this results in less time being spent on other curriculum areas and that these effects contribute in a negative way to the class environment and the engagement of students. This largely agrees with a body of international research that suggests that high-stakes literacy and numeracy tests often results in unintended consequences such as a narrow curriculum focus, a return to teacher-centred instruction and a decrease in motivation. Analysis suggests there is a relationship between participant responses to the effect of NAPLAN on curriculum based on the characteristics of which State the teacher taught in, the socioeconomic status of the school and the school system in which they were employed (State, Catholic, and Independent).     

Adaptability of expert visual anticipation in baseball batting

By manipulating stimulus variation in terms of opponent pitcher actions, this study investigated the capability of expert (n = 30) and near-expert (n = 95) professional baseball batters to adapt anticipation skill when using the video simulation temporal occlusion paradigm. Participants watched in-game footage of two pitchers, one after the other, that was temporally occluded at ball release and various points during ball flight. They were required to make a written prediction of pitch types and locations. Per cent accuracy was calculated for pitch type, for pitch location, and for type and location combined. Results indicated that experts and near-experts could adapt their anticipation to predict above guessing level across both pitchers, but adaptation to the left-handed pitcher was poorer than the right-handed pitcher. Small-to-moderate effect sizes were found in terms of superior adaptation by experts over near-experts at the ball release and early ball flight occlusion conditions. The findings of this study extend theoretical and applied knowledge of expertise in striking sports. Practical application of the instruments and findings are discussed in terms of applied researchers, practitioners and high-performance staff in professional sporting organisations.     

Transition of maternal competency of married and single mothers in early parenthood

Women who perceive maternal competency in early parenthood feel comfortable with infant care. A convenience sample of 58 married, first-time mothers and 22 single, first-time mothers was surveyed at six to eight weeks after childbirth to determine the differences in maternal competence perception between married and single mothers. Findings in this pilot study reveal that single mothers significantly reported less comfort in the maternal role as compared to married mothers. Implications for practice, research, and education are discussed.     

Relationships between writing motivation, writing activity, and writing performance: effects of grade, sex, and ability

A convenience sample of 618 children and adolescents in grades 4 through 10, excluding grade 8, were asked to complete a writing motivation and activity scale and to provide a timed narrative writing sample to permit an examination of the relationships between writing motivation, writing activity, writing performance, and the student characteristics of grade, sex, and teacher judgment of writing ability. Female students and older students wrote qualitatively better fictional stories, as did students with higher levels of writing ability based on teacher judgment. With respect to writing activity, more frequent writing in and out of school was reported by girls, better writers, and younger students. In a path analysis, grade and sex directly influenced writing activity, while sex, teacher judgment of writing ability, and writing activity directly influenced some aspects of writing motivation. Overall, teacher judgment of writing ability, grade level, and motivational beliefs each exerted a significant direct positive influence on narrative quality, whereas performance goals exerted a significant direct negative impact on quality.     

Visual-perceptual training with motor practice of the observed movement pattern improves anticipation in emerging expert cricket batsmen

ABSTRACT

This study addressed the paucity of evidence of whether visual anticipation can be improved in emerging experts in striking sports. Twelve emerging expert batsmen from a state cricket squad were equally randomised into intervention and control groups. They were pre-and-post tested on a video temporal occlusion test of a fast bowler, as well as transfer tests of different fast and slow bowlers. The intervention group received two sessions per week of point-light display temporal occlusion training with motor practice of the observed bowler’s action over a 4-week period. The control group completed only the testing phases. Batting averages before, during, and after the study were recorded for both groups. The intervention group, but not the control group, improved anticipation to significantly above chance level across pre-to-post-tests based upon pre-ball flight information. The intervention, but not the control, transferred their learning to anticipate significantly above chance level based upon pre-ball flight information across different fast and slow (spin) bowlers. Batting average of the intervention group was higher than the control group during the study. Findings indicate that the intervention can improve anticipation in emerging expert batsmen, beyond sport-specific practice. This improvement may benefit competition performance, but further evidence is required.