Improving the physical qualities of students in physical education lessons using fitness classes

In this article is analyzed fitness classes for improving students' physical qualities. In order to improve the physical qualities of students, there was used the methodology, which is based on the physical exercises' performance with musical accompaniment. This not only positively affected the mental and emotional state of the subjects, but also made it possible to apply an individual approach to each student, depending on his level of physical fitness

A study of novice programmer performance and programming pedagogy.

Identifying and mitigating the difficulties experienced by novice programmers is an active area of research that has embraced a number of research areas. The aim of this research was to perform a holistic study into the causes of poor performance in novice programmers and to develop teaching approaches to mitigate them. A grounded action methodology was adopted to enable the primary concepts of programming cognitive psychology and their relationships to be established, in a systematic and formal manner. To further investigate novice programmer behaviour, two sub-studies were conducted into programming performance and ability. The first sub-study was a novel application of the FP-Tree algorithm to determine if novice programmers demonstrated predictable patterns of behaviour. This was the first study to data mine programming behavioural characteristics rather than the learner’s background information such as age and gender. Using the algorithm, patterns of behaviour were generated and associated with the students’ ability. No patterns of behaviour were identified and it was not possible to predict student results using this method. This suggests that novice programmers demonstrate no set patterns of programming behaviour that can be used determine their ability, although problem solving was found to be an important characteristic. Therefore, there was no evidence that performance could be improved by adopting pedagogies to promote simple changes in programming behaviour beyond the provision of specific problem solving instruction. A second sub-study was conducted using Raven’s Matrices which determined that cognitive psychology, specifically working memory, played an important role in novice programmer ability. The implication was that programming pedagogies must take into consideration the cognitive psychology of programming and the cognitive load imposed on learners. Abstracted Construct Instruction was developed based on these findings and forms a new pedagogy for teaching programming that promotes the recall of abstract patterns while reducing the cognitive demands associated with developing code. Cognitive load is determined by the student’s ability to ignore irrelevant surface features of the written problem and to cross-reference between the problem domain and their mental program model. The former is dealt with by producing tersely written exercises to eliminate distractors, while for the latter the teaching of problem solving should be delayed until the student’s program model is formed. While this does delay the development of problem solving skills, the problem solving abilities of students taught using this pedagogy were found to be comparable with students taught using a more traditional approach. Furthermore, monitoring students’ understanding of these patterns enabled micromanagement of the learning process, and hence explanations were provided for novice behaviour such as difficulties using arrays, inert knowledge and “code thrashing”. For teaching more complex problem solving, scaffolding of practice was investigated through a program framework that could be developed in stages by the students. However, personalising the level of scaffolding required was complicated and found to be difficult to achieve in practice. In both cases, these new teaching approaches evolved as part of a grounded theory study and a clear progression of teaching practice was demonstrated with appropriate evaluation at each stage in accordance with action researc

Relationships Between Specific Health-Related Fitness Components and Standardized Academic Achievement Tests

In an attempt to meet monetary-driven mandates to improve student achievement test scores, administrators are replacing physical education activities with subject matter classes in many American schools. This practice negates the positive contributions of physical activity to academic performance and student fitness. Guided by self-efficacy theory, this study assessed the impact of optimal versus minimal physical fitness state on student academic achievement. The study sample included 5,416 9th grade students from the same school district who completed a minimum of 5 of the 6 components of the FITNESSGRAM tests, and who also completed the math and English language arts (ELA) portions of the California Standards Test. The independent variables were optimal and minimal physical fitness based upon completing 6 or 5 FITNESSGRAM components, respectively. Analyses included independent samples t tests, ANOVA, and Dunnet\u27s C test to detect differences in mean academic scores with gender and ethnicity as covariates. Optimally fit students had significantly higher (p \u3c 0.05) scores in math and ELA tests relative to minimally fit students. Female academic test scores tended to be higher than male scores in both academic tests. School officials, when contemplating curricular programs devoid of a physical education component, might judiciously reassess the positive effects of physical fitness upon academic achievement and the associated biopsychosocial benefits for their students. Physically fit and academically enriched students may provide a foundation for positive social change directed at engendering a healthier, motivated, and productive citizenry

Deciphering the link and direction between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and obesity: Common behavioural or prenatal pathways?

Growing evidence suggests an association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity, although very little is understood about the nature of this link. The aims of this thesis were to examine the following aspects of the ADHD-obesity association: (1) the directionality of the link from childhood to adolescence, (2) behavioural mediators during childhood and adolescence, and (3) prenatal risk factors common for both disorders. Participants were from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC) 1986 (N=9479). Data were obtained on pregnancy and birth factors, and child/adolescent mental health, obesity, and lifestyle factors. Regression analyses showed that ADHD symptoms significantly predicted obesity, rather than in the opposite direction, from childhood to adolescence. Mediation analyses examined potential underlying behavioural factors – physical activity and binge-eating, and showed that physical inactivity mediated the longitudinal ADHD symptom-obesity association. Further, there was a bidirectional, longitudinal association between physical inactivity and ADHD symptoms. ADHD and obesity may share common prenatal risk factors, including prenatal exposure to cortisol. This was studied using a quasi-experimental approach by examining the impact of prenatal exposure to synthetic glucocorticoids (sGC). Results from propensity-score and mixed-effects methods showed that prenatal sGC increased the risk for general psychiatric disturbance and inattention symptoms, but not obesity, in childhood. Placental size may represent another common prenatal contributing factor; placental size was positively associated with behaviour problems, including ADHD symptoms, in child and adolescent boys, but was not associated with obesity. This thesis addresses important unexplored aspects of the association between ADHD and obesity, and provides insight into risk factors for both disorders. The direction of the association was driven from ADHD symptoms to obesity, and physical inactivity was a behavioural mediator underlying the link. Although there was no evidence that both disorders share common prenatal risk, prenatal sGC and placental size were positively associated with ADHD symptoms.Open Acces

Evaluation of Exercise on Individuals with Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Their Carers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

There are over 840,000 people in the UK with dementia, most of whom will experience Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). Treatment options for BPSD are limited and often they have been managed with anti-psychotic medication, which increase mortality and the risk of stroke in people with dementia. Consequently, it is imperative to evaluate the impact that non-pharmacological interventions such as physical exercise have on BPSD. This research seeks to address this matter by: exploring the current state of knowledge through a literature review; designing a simple, measurable and safe physical intervention for BPSD; devising, carrying out and reporting findings on a methodologically robust trial of exercise; and discussing its impact and future directions. A rapid appraisal of the literature showed that exercise programmes for people with dementia have often been poorly conceptualised and research methods had significant limitations; this was addressed with the design of EVIDEM-E. EVIDEM-E was a pragmatic, randomised, parallel group, single-blind, controlled trial that evaluated the effectiveness of exercise (planned walking) on the BPSD symptoms of 131 dyads (individuals with dementia and their carers). Physical exercise was delivered as an individually tailored regime of walking designed to become progressively intensive. Regular walking did not produce a statistically significant reduction in BPSD. This exercise, however, attenuated carer burden significantly. It is not clear whether this was because of the exercise per se, increased psychosocial interaction between carer and person with dementia, or a Hawthorne effect. Further research should focus on the mechanisms by which exercise may affect carers’ burden and whether reducing carer burden has long-term effects

Conception et Validation Expérimentale d’un Assistant Numérique pour l’Inclusion Scolaire d’Enfants avec Troubles du Spectre Autistique en Classe Ordinaire

School inclusion of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) inmainstream classrooms remains dramatically limited in France, even though it hasbeen recognized as critical for socio- professional perspectives. In fact, the atypicalcognitive functioning, associated with socio-adaptive behavior difficulties(communication, social skills, autonomy, etc.), are usually confronted to nor- malizedexpectations in these mainstream environments, such as schools. New technologiescan be seen as promising levers to overcome the barriers of school inclusion.However, despite a plethoric offer of technologies for children with ASD, scientificstudies are lacking to establish their efficacy, as well as the relevance of their design.This work presents the design and validation of mobile applications to support schoolinclusion of children with ASD in mainstream classrooms through three studies. Thefirst study presents design principles for assistive applications addressing schoolroutines and verbal communication activities of children with ASD; these applicationsare to be used in situ. Combining a user-centered approach and pilot clinical research,the second study presents design principles and experimental validation of an emotionregulation application targeting children with ASD in mainstream classroom. Theresults reveal benefits on self-regulation behaviors, as well as underpinning sociocognitiveprocesses. Finally, in across-syndrome approach, the third study presents theresults of a global intervention, based on cognitive assistive and rehabilitationapplications, involving 48 children and supporting the first inclusion in mainstreamclassrooms of children with ASD and children without ASD (with IntellectualDisabilities or learning disabilities). Benefits are reported for both equipped groups interms of socio-adaptive behaviors, social response and socio-cognitive functioning.Larger benefits have been observed for equipped children with ASD, revealing therelevance of Collège+ intervention for this population.A systemic approach to designing and experimenting mobile applications allowed forimprove- ments in socio-adaptive behaviors and socio-cognitive functioning, crucialfor the success of main- stream school inclusion. Such approach seems promising tosupport school inclusion of children with ASD in mainstream classrooms, and offersbroad perspectives by enriching contents, designing new applications as well asexperimenting validation methodologies for mainstream environments.Bien que reconnue comme critique pour le devenir socio-professionnel desenfants avec Troubles du Spectre Autistique (TSA), l’inclusion scolaire en classeordinaire demeure en France peu acces- sible pour ce public. En effet, lefonctionnement cognitif atypique associé aux limitations des comportements socioadaptatifs(communication, socialisation, autonomie etc.), se heurte bien souvent auxconditions normées des milieux ordinaires tels que l’école. Les nouvelles technologiessont aujourd’hui pressenties comme leviers prometteurs pour surmonter ces barrières àl’inclusion scolaire. Cependant, malgré un marché pléthorique de technologies ciblantles TSA, les études scientifiques manquent pour statuer sur leur efficacité mais aussisur les fondements mêmes de leur conception.Ce travail présente la conception et la validation d’applications mobiles pourl’inclusion scolaire d’enfants avec TSA en classe ordinaire au travers de trois études.Dans une approche centrée- utilisateur, l’Étude 1 présente des principes de conceptiond’applications d’assistance aux activités de classe et activités communicationnelles desenfants avec TSA pour une utilisation in situ. Dans une approche centrée utilisateur etde recherche clinique pilote, l’Étude 2 présente les principes de conception et lavalidation expérimentale d’une application d’assistance à la régulation émotionnelledes enfants TSA en classe ordinaire. Les résultats indiquent des bénéfices sur lescomportements d’auto-régulation ainsi que sur les processus sociocognitifs sousjacents.Enfin, dans une approche cross-syndromes, l’Étude 3 présente les résultatsd’une intervention globale reposant sur des ap- plications d’assistance et deremédiation cognitives (dispositif Collège+) déployées auprès de 48 enfants et visant àsoutenir la primo-inclusion en classe ordinaire d’enfants avec TSA et d’enfants nonTSA (avec Déficiences intellectuelles ou troubles globaux de l’apprentissage). Desbénéfices sont rapportés pour tous les enfants équipés en termes de comportementssocio-adaptatifs, de réponse sociale et de fonctionnement sociocognitif. Aussi, de pluslarges bénéfices sont observés pour les enfants TSA révélant ainsi la pertinence del’intervention Collège+ pour le public avec TSA.En conclusion, un approche systémique dans la conception et l’expérimentationd’applications mobiles a permis des améliorations dans l’adaptation descomportements et du fonctionnement socio-cognitif, cruciaux dans la réussite d’uneinclusion scolaire en classe ordinaire. Cette approche semble donc prometteuse poursoutenir l’inclusion scolaire en milieu ordinaire des enfants avec TSA, et offre delarges perspectives de travail, tant sur l’enrichissement des contenus, la conception denouvelles applications que des méthodes de validation expérimentale

Early development of sensory perception in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders emerging early in development. Molecular genetics research suggests that common sensory vulnerabilities underlie the emergence of both disorders, yet no research examined the same sensory markers as potential infant predictors of ASD or ADHD traits in toddlerhood. This thesis examines the early development of sensory perception in infants at elevated likelihood of ASD and/or ADHD and infants at typical likelihood of the disorders. Chapters 1-2 present, respectively, a theoretical introduction and methodological considerations for the investigation of sensory perception in these conditions. Chapter 3 presents evidence from an EEG tactile repetition suppression task administered to 10-month-old infants, prospectively re-assessed at 24 months. Results indicate that reduced repetition suppression is a marker of ASD in infancy and predicts ASD traits in toddlerhood. Results further suggest that early enhanced parent-reported tactile sensory seeking mitigates the association between tactile atypicality and later ASD traits. Chapter 4 presents evidence from an EEG visual task administered to 10-month-old infants, prospectively re-assessed at 24 months. Results indicate that enhanced responsiveness to visual input is a marker of ASD or ADHD in infancy and predicts concurrent parent-reported visual sensory seeking. Results further indicate that enhanced responsiveness to incoming stimulation in infants with later higher ASD traits results from reduced prioritization of ongoing information. Chapter 5 presents a proof-of-concept demonstration that variation in responsiveness to visual input also reflects variation in engagement with ongoing information in an independent cohort of 10-month-old infants at typical likelihood of the conditions. Chapter 6 adopts an individual differences approach and reports on the concurrent/longitudinal associations between markers of information prioritization emerged from Chapter 5 and parent-reported sensory seeking, ASD and ADHD traits in the same participant sample, prospectively re-assessed at 16 months. Chapter 7 discusses contributions and implications for research on the early development of sensory perception in ASD and ADHD