Curriculum Development and Review in Sports Academy Setting: Proposing Models and Methodologies

In recent years, the curriculum has become a widely appealing construct within the global discourses of quality assessment and continual improvement. However, the literature in this field reveals a lack of clarity and consensus regarding its meaning and other technical issues related to its development and review, particularly in the sports academy setting. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge in this area through broadly exploring a range of dimensions underpinning the concept of curriculum, including its definitions, elements, processes, and the resultant pedagogical implications. Besides, this review article proposes a model to facilitate the development and review of the curriculum in Ethiopian sports academy programs and provides designers, youth coaches, and administrators with a practical approach for designing and implementing the curriculum. This proposed model seeks to support the Ethiopian sports academies in systematically developing and reviewing curriculum, and using that assessment data to trigger further improvement of the program. Moreover, a systemic view of sports academy is suggested to create broader insights about key ingredients of quality, and identify issues that impinge on curriculum decision-making. The article concludes by summarizing the results of the analyses and offering implications for practices

Reproductive Characteristics of Abyssinian Jennies Exposed to Stallions and Jackasses

The aim of the study was to describe the intraspecies and interspecies sexual interactions and reproductive features Abyssinian type jennies exposed to jackasses and stallions. Twenty post-pubertal jennies, 3 jackasses and 4 stallions were used in the study. Jennies were divided in to two groups of ten each (stallion group and jack group). PGF2a was used to induce heat. A vasectomized jackass was used to assist heat detection. Jennies in the jack group were bred by two jackasses and jennies in the stallion group were bred by a stallion. Mating was on the 6th and 8th days after PGF2a injection and within the last three days after spontaneous return to heat. The durations of estrus and the estrus cycle were 7.4 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD) and 24.3 ± 2.1 (mean ± SD) days respectively. All jennies were receptive to jackasses but not to stallions. The number of cycles per pregnancy in the intraspecies mating was lower than the number of cycles in the interspecies mating (p < 0.05). The lengths of gestation of jennies in foal with jackasses and a stallion were 370.2 ± 4.5 (mean ± SD) and 330 days respectively. The mating resulted in five donkey foals and a hinny. The study showed that Abyssinian jennies have a high intraspecies reproductive potential but low pregnancy rate and abortion appear limitations in interspecies hybridization.Key words: Hinny, Jackass, Jenny, Reproduction, Stallio

The Prevailing Practices and Challenges of Curriculum Reform in Ethiopian Higher Education: Views and Responses from Within

In reflecting on the recent educational change in Ethiopian higher education (HE), this article explores the nature of undergraduate curriculum reform in relation to student-centered pedagogy and continuous assessment method. To this end, the article uses a qualitative case study design collecting primary data from interviews with 4 senior managers and 4 education quality experts, and a focus-group with 6 teachers, and exploring secondary sources. The result shows that the forces, triggering curriculum reform are mostly external providing little room for internal factors and the development of curriculum from within the institution. The prevailing reform applied a government’s controlled, centralized, and a one-size-fits-all model. As study participants reported, the most challenging issues are implementation gaps, particularly the absence of a functional enactment zone for teachers. This happens because conformity and uncertainty, as well as the rapidity of change, have created tension for academics when implementing the reforms in their classrooms. This article provides some suggestions as to how these challenges might be overcom

Soccer Specific Fitness Differences Across the Common Playing Position Players

As a complex team sport, success in soccer relies on individuals’ performance, collective performance, and most importantly on team performance. In soccer, players are usually assigned to a specific position based on the demands of the position and the corresponding qualities of the players. The performance factors are varied and interrelated. As such, whether speed, change-of-direction-speed (CODS) and repeated sprinting ability (RSA) are used to discriminate different position players is not well-established. The purpose of this study was to examine how different position players are different against these parameters. The study participants included 88 soccer players at the Ethiopian National Soccer League classified into six playing positions such as centerbacks, fullbacks, holding-midfielders, attacking-midfielders, outside-midfielders and strikers. The participant players speed, CODS and RSA were measured weekly for about five weeks. The authors analyzed the collected data using one-way ANOVA and Games-Howell multiple comparisons. Results indicated that the position discriminating power of the three measures, including speed, CODS and RSA was found minimal. Among the different position players, only outside-midfielders were significantly higher performers with these qualities measured. Therefore, it was concluded that the performance difference in speed, CODS and RSA among the six position players is not a good discriminator, except for outside-midfielders, who outperformed all other position players (excluding the fullbacks) with the studied parameters

Nurturing cooperative learning pedagogies in higher education classrooms: Evidence of instructional reform and potential changes

This article reports on a case study that examined the nature and extent of students’ participation in a cooperative learning (CL) intervention, and its effects on students’ learning, satisfaction and gains. The participants included 58 undergraduate students and 2 teachers. The quantitative results showed that 4 inter-correlated pedagogical factors: Cooperative interaction, task orientation, academic challenge, and teaching effectiveness, together accounted for 69% and 52% of the variance in students’ learning satisfaction and gains scores, respectively. Each factor significantly predicted students’ learning satisfaction and gains, β ≥.27. Also, the qualitative results demonstrated that the teachers were able to incorporate CL pedagogies to existing instructional practices. Correspondingly, students found that they were more focused on their learning, experienced more interaction and enjoyment, and gained more academically than they had achieved before being involved in this initiative. However, the academic culture and local constraints were negative influences on implementation; findings provide an initial evidence-base that demonstrate how shifting the focus of classroom instruction from a content-centred form to a learning-centred form impacts not only the quality of teaching in class but also the quality of learning and other important indicators of students’ success

Chronological Age and Training Age as Determinants of Soccer Specific Speeds

The main purpose of this study was to unveil how chronological and training age or maturity of soccer players relate or affect linear sprinting speed, repeated sprinting ability (RSA), and change-of direction speed (CODS) performance. Competitive soccer players at the Ethiopian national soccer league level participated in the study. A total of 88 volunteered soccer players (age, 22.25±2.27 years old; training age; 9.38±2.78 years) who were free from any kind of injury at the time of data collection completed the study protocol. While age was calculated using a player’s birth certificate, fitness performance was measured using specific test protocols for each fitness element. For credibility, fitness test was conducted on a weekly basis for about five consecutive weeks and the average was taken. Bivariate correlation, partial correlation and GLM analyses were used. The bivariate correlation showed that sprinting speed (r (88) = - .254, p=.017), CODS (r (88) = -216, p.043) and RSA best (r (88) = 0.235, p=.028) significantly correlated with age (p<.05). However, RSA total time, RSA average and RSA worst did not correlate with age. With training age, only CODS showed small, but significant negative correlation (r (88) = -.230, p=.031). While sprinting speed significantly correlated with maturity, other qualities that rely on the ability to produce the best performance repeatedly did not relate with age or training age. These findings suggest that speed and speed related performances depend on maturity and genetic make-up and these are less trainable qualities that may not significantly improve over time

Students’ and teachers’ perceptions and experiences of course scheduling in undergraduate sports sciences program: An Ethiopian case study

Flexibility in course scheduling is an integral part of institutional strategies used to increase student engagement and success, yet little research exists that examines scheduling as a key factor that determines students’ experiences and educational outcomes. This study explored the undergraduate sport science students and their teachers at Jimma University, Ethiopia, regarding their experiences in semester-based and block scheduling formats as well as their reflections and perspectives on the effectiveness of these scheduling formats for teaching and learning. For this, the study used an exploratory mixed-methods design consisting of individual interviews with six teachers and focus group interviews with undergraduate sports sciences student sample (n = 40), and institutional archives of the sampled students’ cumulative grade point averages (GPAs). The study findings indicate divergent views regarding their perceptions and mixed experiences with the semester-based and block scheduled courses. Irrespective of these, the majority of participants reported that teachers’ missing scheduled classes, tending not to teach the full time of the class session, continual lecturing, and scarcity of instructional resources are the major challenges surrounding the implementation of both semester-based and block teaching. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research, implementation, and intervention design

Classification of junior Ethiopian football players using anthropometric and physical fitness attributes: Developing a predictive model

Objetivo: El objetivo del presente estudio fue desarrollar un modelo predictivo que identifique la condición física y antropométrica que prediga mejor el estado y las posiciones de juego (N=400; 15–17 años) en el programa de desarrollo del fútbol juvenil masculino etíope. Métodos. La medición antropométrica en términos de masa, altura, grasa corporal relativa y composición corporal derivada se realizó utilizando las pautas de la Sociedad Internacional para el Avance de la Cineantropometría (ISAK). El estado físico se midió mediante pruebas de velocidad (10 metros, 20 metros y 40 metros planos), la prueba de agilidad de Illinois, la prueba de salto vertical y el VO2 máximo estimado. Se utilizó ANOVA factorial para probar las relaciones entre la residencia de los jugadores, la posición y los respectivos términos de interacción. Además, se utilizó el análisis discriminante para identificar las variables que contribuyeron a las selecciones. Resultados. Los jugadores de residencias de campamentos deportivos fueron significativamente diferentes en todos los atributos antropométricos, así como en los atributos de condición física en p<0.05 excepto en el VO2 máx. El porcentaje de jugadores correctamente clasificados en los grupos originales fue ligeramente inferior al porcentaje calculado tras el análisis realizado para la muestra total (86%) y tras el cálculo por posiciones (86-90%). Conclusión. El estudio concluyó que la velocidad evaluada en 10 m, 40 m, salto vertical y altura fueron los atributos discriminados de los jugadores por unidad residencial en los jugadores de fútbol juveniles etíopes. Se recomienda que los atributos antropométricos y de aptitud física sean importantes en la evaluación y selección de jugadores de fútbol jóvenes con potencial para una selección de rendimiento de alto nivel.Aim: The aim of the present study was to develop a predictive model that identifies the anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics that best predicts the status and playing positions of players (N=400; 15–17 years) in the Ethiopian male youth soccer development programme. Methods: Anthropometric measurement in terms of mass, height, relative body fat, and derived body composition was conducted using the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) guidelines. Fitness was measured by sprint tests (10 meters, 20 meters and 40 meters flat), the Illinois agility test, vertical jump test and estimated VO2 max. Factorial ANOVA was used to test the relationships between players’ residence, position, and respective interaction terms. Additionally, discriminant analysis was used to identify the variables that contributed to the selections. Results: Players residing in a Sports Camp (academy) vs. their homes were significantly different in all anthropometric attributes as well as physical fitness attributes at p<0.05 except VO2 max. The percentage of players who were correctly classified in the original groups was slightly lower than the percentage calculated after the analysis was performed for the total sample (86%) and after calculation by position (86 – 90%). Conclusion: The study concluded that speed assessed in10m, 40m, vertical jump, and height were the discriminate attributes of Ethiopian junior football players selected or not selected to an elite group residential sports camp. It is recommended that anthropometrical and physical fitness attributes are considered in the assessment and selection of young football players with the potential for higher-level performance selection

Neonatal Tetanus: case series from Dilla univeristy referal hospital, Ethiopia

Background: Neonatal tetanus is a deadly infection leading to 7-8% of neonatal mortality in de-veloping countries. WHO defines Neonatal tetanus as an illness in a child who has the normal ability to suck in the first 2 days of life, presented with failure to suck between 3rd and 28th days of life and has rigidity and spasms? Though Ethiopia declared maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination in 2017, there has been significant number of neonates presenting with this problem in Neonatal ICU’sMethods: This review characterized clinical profile, demography and outcome of seven neona-tal tetanus cases admitted at Dilla University hospital, neonatal ICU from September 11, 2018 to September11, 2020.Results: All mothers gave birth at home with unskilled birth attendant, local blade or knife was used to cut the cord. Median age for mothers was 26 years and two out of seven had antenatal care (ANC) follow up and took Two doses of tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine. Fever, failure to suck, spasm and convulsions were the common presenting symptoms. The overall mortality was 70%.Conclusion: Continuous emphasis on antenatal tetanus immunization and safe delivery practic-es should be maintained. Clinicians caring for neonates should be aware of the presentations of neonatal tetanus to allow them to diagnose these patients early and initiate appropriate lifesaving management