Education and transfer of water competencies: An ecological dynamics approach

© The Author(s) 2020. To cope in various aquatic environments (i.e. swimming pools, lakes, rivers, oceans), learners require a wide repertoire of self-regulatory behaviours such as awareness of obstacles and water properties, floating and moving from point to point with different strokes, decision making, emotional control and breathing efficiently. By experiencing different learning situations in stable indoor pool environments, it is assumed that children strengthen aquatic competencies that should be transferable to functioning in open water environments, where prevalence of drowning is high. However, this fundamental assumption may be misleading. Here, we propose the application of a clear, related methodology and theoretical framework that could be useful to help physical education curriculum specialists (re)shape and (re)design appropriate aquatic learning situations to facilitate better transfer of learning. We discuss the need for more representativeness in a learning environment, proposing how the many different task and environmental constraints on aquatic actions may bound the emergence of functional, self-regulatory behaviours in learners. Ideas in ecological dynamics suggest that physical educators should design learning environments that offer a rich landscape of opportunities for action for learners. As illustration, three practice interventions are described for developing functional and transferrable skills in indoor aquatic environments. It is important that aquatic educators focus not just upon ‘learning to swim’, but particularly on relevant transferable skills and self-regulatory behaviours deemed necessary for functioning in dynamic, outdoor aquatic environments

Education and transfer of water competencies: An ecological dynamics approach

© The Author(s) 2020. To cope in various aquatic environments (i.e. swimming pools, lakes, rivers, oceans), learners require a wide repertoire of self-regulatory behaviours such as awareness of obstacles and water properties, floating and moving from point to point with different strokes, decision making, emotional control and breathing efficiently. By experiencing different learning situations in stable indoor pool environments, it is assumed that children strengthen aquatic competencies that should be transferable to functioning in open water environments, where prevalence of drowning is high. However, this fundamental assumption may be misleading. Here, we propose the application of a clear, related methodology and theoretical framework that could be useful to help physical education curriculum specialists (re)shape and (re)design appropriate aquatic learning situations to facilitate better transfer of learning. We discuss the need for more representativeness in a learning environment, proposing how the many different task and environmental constraints on aquatic actions may bound the emergence of functional, self-regulatory behaviours in learners. Ideas in ecological dynamics suggest that physical educators should design learning environments that offer a rich landscape of opportunities for action for learners. As illustration, three practice interventions are described for developing functional and transferrable skills in indoor aquatic environments. It is important that aquatic educators focus not just upon ‘learning to swim’, but particularly on relevant transferable skills and self-regulatory behaviours deemed necessary for functioning in dynamic, outdoor aquatic environments

Expert recommendations for the design of a children’s movement competence assessment tool for use by primary school teachers

A child’s early school years provide a crucial platform for them to develop fundamental movement skills (FMS), yet it has been acknowledged that there is a shortage of suitable FMS assessment tools for teachers to use within schools. To begin to address this shortfall, the purpose of this study was to elicit expert recommendations for the design of a FMS assessment tool for use by primary school teachers. A multi-phase research design was used, involving two scenario-guided focus groups with movement experts (n = 8; five academics and three practitioners). Data captured in both focus groups were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Three dichotomous dilemmas emerged from the data in relation to assessing children’s movement competence: (a) Why? For research purposes or to enhance teaching and learning?; (b) How? Should the assessment setting be engineered or natural?; and (c) What? Should the detail of the assessment be complex or simple and should the nature of the tasks be static or dynamic? These findings suggest that any future development of movement competence assessment protocols for use by primary school teachers needs to consider the specific purpose and context of the assessment

(Reinforcing) factors influencing a physical education teachers use of the direct instruction model teaching games

he purpose of this study was to explore how a physical education (PE) teacher employed the direct instruction model (DIM) teaching games in a United Kingdom secondary school. The research sought to identify how the teacher utilised the DIM and those factors that influenced his use of the model. Occupational socialization was used to identify the factors that encouraged his use of the DIM. Data were collected from interviews and lesson observations. Inductive data analysis showed that while the teacher presented a ‘full version’ of the DIM, his limited content knowledge impacted on the use of the model in teaching cricket. Factors influencing his use of the model were a sporting perspective, a Post Graduate Certificate in Education mentor and the ability and behaviour of the students. These factors reinforced his undergraduate learning and subsequent use of the DIM. It is suggested that the comparable backgrounds of many PE student teachers may make the DIM an apt model to learn in undergraduate and postgraduate PE courses. However, effective use of the model requires students to be taught and to possess in-depth content knowledge of the game(s)/activities being taught and learned

Fundamental movement skills are more than run, throw and catch: The role of stability skills.

Introduction In motor development literature fundamental movement skills are divided into three constructs: locomotive, object control and stability skills. Most fundamental movement skills research has focused on children's competency in locomotor and object control skills. The first aim of this study was to validate a test battery to assess the construct of stability skills, in children aged 6 to 10 (M age = 8.2, SD = 1.2). Secondly we assessed how the stability skills construct fitted into a model of fundamental movement skill. Method The Delphi method was used to select the stability skill battery. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to assess if the skills loaded onto the same construct and a new model of FMS was developed using structural equation modelling. Results Three postural control tasks were selected (the log roll, rock and back support) because they had good face and content validity. These skills also demonstrated good predictive validity with gymnasts scoring significantly better than children without gymnastic training and children from a high SES school performing better than those from a mid and low SES schools and the mid SES children scored better than the low SES children (all p < .05). Inter rater reliability tests were excellent for all three skills (ICC = 0.81, 0.87, 0.87) as was test retest reliability (ICC 0.87-0.95). CFA provided good construct validity, and structural equation modelling revealed stability skills to be an independent factor in an overall FMS model which included locomotor (r = .88), object control (r = .76) and stability skills (r = .81). Discussion This study provides a rationale for the inclusion of stability skills in FMS assessment. The stability skills could be used alongside other FMS assessment tools to provide a holistic assessment of children's fundamental movement skills. Copyright

Comparação do equilíbrio postural unipodal entre crianças e adultos

O objetivo do estudo foi comparar o equilíbrio na posição unipodal entre crianças com desenvolvimento típico de oito a 11 anos de idade e adultos saudáveis. Os participantes foram divididos em três grupos: 8-9 anos, 10-11 anos e 18-25 anos. Para medir o equilíbrio foi utilizada uma plataforma de força AccuSway Plus (AMTI Inc.). Cada sujeito realizou três tentativas com duração de 30 segundos em posição unipodal dominante. Os parâmetros avaliados foram: amplitude do centro de pressão nas direções ântero-posterior e médio-lateral, o comprimento total do trajeto, velocidade média e 95% da área da elipse. Para a análise estatística utilizou-se o SPSS versão 13.0 Foram realizados os teste de Shapiro-Wilk, Anova One-Way, Post Hoc de Bonferroni e correlação de Pearson. O nível de significância adotado foi p < 0,05. Os resultados mostraram que houve diferenças significativas (p < 0,01) entre os grupos de crianças e o grupo de adultos em todas as variáveis. Entre os grupos de crianças (8-9 anos e 10-11 anos) não houve diferença significativa em nenhuma das variáveis analisadas. Os resultados sugerem que crianças de oito a 11 anos de idade ainda não alcançaram a completa maturação do equilíbrio postural. Essas informações podem ser importantes para auxiliar em diagnósticos de transtornos ou déficits do equilíbrio, tanto em crianças como em adultos

Age-related changes to motor synergies in multi-joint and multi-finger manipulative skills: a meta-analysis

Purpose The aim of the current meta-analysis was to examine the extent to which there are differences in upper extremity motor synergies across different age groups in manipulative tasks. Methods The studies that used the uncontrolled manifold method to examine the effect of age on motor synergies in multijoint and multi-finger tasks were selected. Sixteen relevant studies from 1154 articles were selected for the meta-analysis—4 and 12 studies considered multi-joint kinematics and multi-finger kinetic tasks respectively. Results The results of the meta-analysis suggested reduced strength of synergies in multi-finger task in older adults, but this was not the case for synergies in multi-joint task. Part of this age-related difference in finger function is related to the increased variability in total force in grasping tasks. However, reductions in the strength of multi-finger synergies in hand functions following ageing appear to depend on the characteristics of the task. Conclusions These findings indicate that the cooperation among fingers to stabilise the total required force to apply for grasping and other fine motor skills is less efficient in older adults that might affect the quality of manipulative tasks

Avaliação longitudinal do desenvolvimento motor e da habilidade de sentar em crianças nascidas prematuras

Os bebês prematuros apresentam maior risco para atrasos na aquisição das habilidades neuromotoras. O objetivo do estudo foi detectar atrasos no desenvolvimento motor de crianças prematuras com baixo peso, analisar a evolução da habilidade do sentar e verificar a associação entre essa habilidade com outras aquisições motoras até os 8 meses de idade corrigida (IC). Foram avaliadas 10 crianças nascidas pré-termo, de ambos os sexos, dos 4 aos 8 meses de IC, pela escala motora infantil de Alberta AIMS (Alberta Infant Motor Scale). Cada criança foi avaliada três vezes, aos 4 para 5 meses, 5 para 6 meses, e 7 para 8 meses; os escores foram comparados para verificar alterações ao longo do tempo e identificação de possíveis atrasos no desenvolvimento motor. Os resultados mostram que, aos 7 para 8 meses, 30% das crianças apresentaram desenvolvimento motor atrasado e foram encaminhadas para tratamento fisioterapêutico. A habilidade de sentar foi melhorando progressiva e significativamente com a idade, tendo se mostrado fortemente correlacionada com outras posturas do desenvolvimento motor e com o escore total na AIMS.Preterm-born infants present higher risks of delayed neuromotor development. This study aimed at detecting delayed motor development in preterm, low-birthweight infants, by analysing development of the sitting skill in association to other motor development acquisitions until corrected age (CA) of 8 months. Ten preterm infants of both sexes were assessed by the AIMS - Alberta Infant Motor Scale from ages 4 to 8 months. Each child was evaluated three times, at 4-to-5 months, 5-to-6 months, and at 7-to-8 months CA; their scores were compared to verify changes over time and identify possible delays in motor development. Results show that at the age of 7-to-8 months, 30% of the children had delayed motor development and were referred for physical therapy treatment. The pace of sitting skill development increased gradually and significantly along the age; and strong correlations were found between the ability to sit and other motor development postures, and the total AIMS score