European Countries Ranking and Clustering Solution by Children’s Physical Activity and Human Development Index Using Entropy-Based Methods

The aim of the present study is to propose a new approach for evaluating and comparing European countries using indicators of the children physical activity and the human development index. The Global Matrix 3.0 on physical activity for children and youth and human development index data on the 18 European countries were used. MADM (multi-attribute decision making) approach was applied for this task. The criteria weights calculated by applying the weight balancing method—weight balancing indicator ranks accordance (WEBIRA). New methodology of interval entropy is proposed for determining the priority of criteria separately in each group. The novel approach of α-cuts for recursive procedure of ranking the alternatives was used. For comparison, three alternative entropy-based methods—entropy method for determining the criterion weight (EMDCW), method of criteria impact LOSs and determination of objective weights (CILOS) and integrated determination of objective criteria weights (IDOCRIW) were applied to address this MADM problem. Cluster analysis of European countries carried out using results obtained by all above methods. Comparison of the MADM methods revealed that three alternative methods assigned negligible values to whole group of criteria. Meanwhile, WEBIRA family methods performed the ranking of European countries according to the interrelation of the two groups of criteria in a balanced way. Thus, when addressing MADM tasks with two or more naturally related sets of criteria, it is appropriate to apply criteria adapted for that purpose, such as WEBIRA.This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematical Modeling of Socio-Economic System

Evaluation of Elite Athletes Training Management Efficiency Based on Multiple Criteria Measure of Conditioning Using Fewer Data

Innovative solutions and techniques in the sports industry are commonly used and tested in real conditions. Elite athletes have to achieve their peak performance before the main competition of the year, which is the World Championship, and every fourth year before the Olympic Games, when the main competition of athletes takes place. The present study aims to analyze and evaluate the ability of elite kayakers to achieve the best form at the right times, with the Olympic Games taking the greatest importance. Target values for multiple measures of conditioning are compared to target values set by experts. A weighted least squares metric with weights varied by time period is developed as a measure of fulfillment of the athletes’ conditioning plans. The novelty of the paper is the idea of using linear combination of polynomials and trigonometric functions for approximating the target functions and application of the proposed methodology for the optimization and evaluation of athletic training.This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematical Methods in Applied Science

Diagnostinio testo matematinio modelio taikymas vertinant studentų aerobinį pajėgumą

In the paper diagnostic test creation model proposed earlier by authors is applied for creation of the test designed to esimate aerobic capacity of VGTU students. The pilot research demonstrated how the most informative test for the observed group of testees could be constructed from dichotomous diagnostics operators. The calibration procedure of fitting model parameters according to the empirical data was accomplished. The best fitting diagnostic operator was chosen from four various function classes. Probability distribution of test result and test information value were calculated according to the proposed technique. The result of the test – normed-referenced estimation of testees depending on the latent parameter (aerobic capacity VO2max). Maximum oxigen consumption was evaluated using maximum likelihood method. The proposed mixed model results were more accurate for normed-referenced estimation of aerobic capacity.Šiame darbe autorių anksčiau pasiūlytas diagnostinio testo modelis pritaikytas konstruojant testą, skirtą įvertinti pirmo kurso studentų vaikinų aerobinį pajėgumą. Atliktas pilotinis tyrimas, kuris rodo, kaip iš dvireikšmių diagnostinių operatorių sudaryti informatyviausią testą, pritaikytą duotai tiriamųjų grupei. Atliekama kalibravimo procedūra – pagal esamus empirinius duomenis parenkami modelio parametrai, po to iš skirtingų diagnostinių operatorių išrenkamas tinkamiausias. Pagal siūlomą metodiką skaičiuojamas testo rezultato tikimybinis skirstinys ir testo teikiamos informacijos kiekis. Testo rezultatas – tiriamųjų norminis įvertinimas latentinio kintamojo (aerobinio pajėgumo VO2max) atžvilgiu. Didžiausio tikėtinumo metodu gaunamas maksimalaus deguonies sunaudojimo (VO2max) įvertis. Siūlomo mišraus modelio rezultatai yra tikslesni atliekant aerobinio pajėgumo norminį vertinimą

Comparative Evaluation and Ranking of the European Countries Based on the Interdependence between Human Development and Internal Security Indicators

New solutions and techniques for developing country policies are used under real conditions. The present study aims to propose a new approach for evaluating and ranking the European countries by using the interrelation between two groups of criteria, associated with the Human Development Index (HDI) and the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI). HDI and its components rank countries by value and detail the values of the components of longevity, education and income per capita. WISPI focuses on the effective rendering of security services and the outcome of rendered services. The priority of criteria is determined in the descending order of their correlation values with other group criteria. The criteria weights are set simultaneously for both groups by applying the weight balancing method WEBIRA. The methodology based on minimising sum of squared differences of the weighted sums within groups is used. Finally, the generalised criteria measuring the level of the country are calculated using the SAW method. Cluster analysis of the countries was carried out and compared with MCDM results. The study revealed that WEBIRA ranking of countries is basically consistent with the results of cluster analysis. The proposed methodology can be applied to develop the management policy of the countries, as well as to their evaluation and ranking by using various indices, criteria and procedures. The results of this research can also be used to reveal national policy choices, to point out government policy priorities.This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimization for Decision Makin

Factors determining guards’ professional competence

It is becoming urgent to research the factors influencing guards’ professional competence. The study subject: 118 guards employed at a private security service company and their 4 direct superiors. The study object: psychobiological and professional factors influencing guards’ professional competence. The study goal: to research the professional competence of guards, and the level of informativeness provided by superiors’ assessment and psychobiological indicators. The research into security guards and the assessment of quantitative criteria by objective research methods (internal assessment) and quantitative subjective methods (superiors’ assessment, observation, survey) with the application of factor analysis technique revealed that the guards’ professional competence assessment given by the greater part of superiors was not informative and reliable. Only the assessment of guards’ motor and fighting skills by superiors come closer to the objective criteria of internal assessment. In carrying out such assessment the application of extensive quantitative investigations reflecting theoretical and practical training, professional activity, mental qualities, age and physical training, motor and fighting skills would be helpful

Physical education and sports science development of relevance in cross-curricular communications context

Kūno kultūros ir sporto mokslo formavimasis vyko sprendžiant skirtingus uždavinius, kurie istorinėje raidoje sistemingai transformavosi ir keitėsi. Vyko daugybės mokslų sričių bei krypčių bendrinimo ir komunikacijų procesai. Vykstant tarpdalykinėms komunikacijoms, tęsėsi kūno kultūros ir sporto mokslo transformacijos, sintezuojant socialinius, biomedicininius, humanitarinius, fizikinius, technologinius ir kitus mokslus, įvairiai juos derinant, skatinant fundamentinių žinių kaupimą ir sisteminimą. Kūno kultūros ir sporto mokslas turėtų padėti spręsti uždavinius, susijusius su asmenybės, kaip socialinės-biologinės savireguliacinės sistemos, funkcionavimu, ugdymu ir rekreacija, padėti kurti aplinką, skatinančią kūrybingumą, visuomenės sveikatingumo plėtrą ir sveikatos korekciją. Atlikta kūno kultūros ir sporto mokslo pagrindų, kaip tarpdalykinių komunikacijų, analizė susistemino pagrindinius kūno kultūros ir sporto, kaip savarankiško mokslo, fundamentalius dėsnius (dominantės, superkompensacijos, adaptacijos). Šių dėsnių taikymas kūno kultūros ir sporto mokslo tarpdalykinių komunikacijų procese reikalauja platesnių tyrimų taikant įvairias mokslines metodikas.Physical Education and Sport Science, formation was dealing with different challenges, including the historical development which were systematically transformed and changed. There were many areas of science and directions for sharing and communication processes. Interdisciplinary communication course has continued Physical Education and Sport Science transformation, synthesis of social, biomedical, humanities, physical, technological, etc. new combinations of education, promotion of fundamental knowledge storage and systematization. Physical Education and Sports Science would help solve problems related to personality as a social-biological self-regulatory system, the functioning of the education and recreation, to help create an environment that fosters creativity and the development of public health and the handling health rebate. Conducted physical education and sports science as a framework of interdisciplinary communication systematized analysis of the basic physical education and sports, as an independent fundamental laws of science (dominants, supercompensation and adaptation). The application of the laws of physical education and sports science in interdisciplinary communication process requires more extensive studies using various scientific methods

The assessment of students who have or have not chosen the physical education module as a subject of study

In order to create an effective and health conscious education system, it is relevant to investigate attitudes of students who have chosen and have not chosen physical education (PE) module. The aim is to find out students’ attitude towards PE and reveal their distinctive features. Study subject: 20–22 years old students (boys). Group 1 (n = 348) was formed of students, who chose PE module, group 2 (n = 224) – did not choose the module. The research was focused on students’ PE studies, discipline assessment, and relationship with it. The study was carried out in 2012/13 academic years, the second semester. The study applied the questionnaire method of writing. Students who chose PE module, enjoyed physical training more than those who did not choose it. Students, who chose PE module, had revealed that the positive evaluations of PE were largely influenced by good teachers, good sports facilities, and equipment. The greatest role in shaping attitudes towards PE went to the teacher. More than half of the students, who have chosen PE modules, noted that PE teacher taught them well enough to perform morning exercises and selftraining independently. The greater part of students did not choose PE curriculum and indicated that PE teacher at school did not teach them how independently to do morning exercises, self-training and after the lessons they had no idea how to methodically exercise. Students who chose PE at University, evaluated better results of PE in school, PE teacher’s work quality, sports facility as well as inventory. The number of those minded to take sports and exercise throughout the study period was significantly higher than students’, who didn’t choose PE module. In PE module physical activity was driven by the desire to be physically strong; the ones, who didn’t choose, aimed to have a beautiful body. Thus, students’ self-determination to exercise was mainly influenced by internal factors – their own desire. Medical staff influence on choice of exercise is very low. Students, who had not chosen PE module, said that the most common reason for their determination is the lack of time. Almost half of the students who have opted for PE at the university, requested that PE should be a compulsory subject of study and among those, who did not choose it, was approximately one third. In conclusion it can be stated that students, who did not choose, and the ones, who have chosen PE module, had different approach to PE measures taken at school as well as their motives towards sports were different. Students reach independence tendencies have been identified that for lack of time a large part of students wishes that PE would be organized and included in the lectures schedule. The results encourage the development of PE guidelines for higher education. There is a need to develop differentiated PE programs geared to students willing to participate in PE as well as to the ones avoiding it. The study revealed that formed attitude towards PE and physical activity in school has a significant impact on students’ behaviour

Research of the physical self-training effectiveness of the students in the Law academy of Lithuania

Darbo tikslas - parengti teoriškai pagrįstą Lietuvos teisės akademijos (LTA) I kurso studentų savarankiško fizinio rengimosi sistemą, pritaikytą atskiriems studentų studijų ir motorinio aktyvumo etapams - studijoms, egzaminų sesijoms, praktikoms, atostogoms, bei patikrinti ją pedagoginius aspektu [...]The objective of the work was to prepare a theoretically grounded and tested by pedagogical experiment system of the physical self-training of the first year students of the Law Academy of Lithuania. The system is adapted to separate stages of student life motor actives and hypodynamics: studies, examinations sessions, practice periods and holidays. [...