Songül KURT¹, Serkan İBI޲, Zait Burak AKTUĞ^2,* , & Emre ALTUNDAĞ ³,

• ¹Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Social Science Institute, Niğde, Turkey
• ²Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Faculty of Sport Science, Niğde, Turkey
• ³Gazi University, Health Sciences Institute, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of core exercises on swimmers Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test scores and swimming performance. A total of 32 volunteer children aged 12-15 participated in this study. Participants were separated into 3 main groups: the control group (CG; N = 10) that did not perform any exercises, the swimming group that only performed swimming training (SG; N = 11), and the core exercise training group (TG; N = 11) that performed core exercises in addition to swimming training. The functional movement patterns of the children were determined by the FMS test, and their swimming performances of 50 meters and 100 meters were measured by means of a stopwatch. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was utilized to determine the ingroup difference between the pre-tests and post-tests of the children's FMS scores and swimming performances. According to the statistical analysis results, it was observed that swimming training increased FMS total score and active straight leg raising test score. Besides, core exercises significantly increased all FMS sub-tests and total score values in the post-test. At the end of the study, although there was no significant difference between pre and post- tests in SG both 50m and 100m swimming performances, statistical results also proved that the 100m swimming performances of the TG increased significantly in the post-test (p < 0.05). As a result, it can be stated that the swimmers’, who performs core exercises, swimming performance increased, and improved FMS test scores, which is a significant element regarding the decrease in sports injury.

Keywords: Functional movement screen test, swimming, core exercise, performance.

Category: Youth Sports

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Ken R. Lodewyk* & Scott Robertson

• Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Research has noted the constraints to applying constructivist pedagogical models such as Sport Education and Teaching Games for Understanding in practicing and prospective physical education teachers. This study was an investigation of prospective physical educators’ preferences for Direct Teaching, Sport Education, and Teaching Games for Understanding in physical education and what they liked and disliked about each model. The sample consisted of 309 undergraduate physical education students who received preliminary training and experience with each instructional approach in an upper-level undergraduate university games course. There was substantial support for each of the three instructional models although students preferred Sport Education and Teaching Games for Understanding over Direct Teaching. These findings provide valuable insight into the relative strength and specificity of prospective physical educators’ views about these models and evidence that, in settings where these models are explicitly taught and practiced, prospective physical educators can have progressive knowledge and beliefs about them.

Keywords: instructional model, pedagogy, models-based practice, qualitative, constructivist.

Category: Interdisciplinary PE.

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Mustafa AKIL

• Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Usak, Turkey

Abstract

Mindful eating is a condition in which a person becomes aware of the moment while eating. Very few studies have investigated eating awareness in environments where physical activity is performed. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the duration and intensity of physical activity in adolescents aged 15–17 affects their nutritional awareness.1117 adolescents aged 15–17 and one parent of each were involved in the study. It is a cross-sectional study. Personal information form, International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-30) were used as data collection tools. There were no group differences between scores of vigorous actives and moderate actives from MEQ-30 total and subsamples in eating control, eating discipline and mindful eating, but there was difference between both groups and inactives group(p < 0.05). Inactives group had the highest level in emotional eating; there was group difference between vigorous actives and moderate actives (p< 0.05). The results suggest that there are useful items for exploring more about mindful eating, because the differences between mindful eating total and its subsamples and physical activity are important. A better understanding of mindful eating can lead to the development of more effective intervention strategies to address the risk of overweight and obesity in adolescents.

Keywords: nutrition, physical activity, mindful eating, obesity.

Category: Fitness, health, and nutrition.

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Jung Eun Lee ^1, , Zan Gao²

• ¹ Department of Applied Human Sciences, University of University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, MN
• ² School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN

Abstract

Few studies have explored the moderating effects of race on children’s physical activity (PA) and psychosocial beliefs, particularly in physical education (PE) setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children’s PA behaviors and PA-related psychosocial beliefs differed as a function of race, as well as to explore any racial differences in the relationships between PA and PA-related beliefs. A total of 174 fourth and fifth grade children from two elementary schools in Minnesota participated in this cross-sectional study. During three PE sessions, children’s percentages of time spent in sedentary behavior, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were measured via ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers. A number of validated questionnaires were used to assess the children’s PA-related psychosocial beliefs (i.e., self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, social support, and enjoyment) at the end of the last (third) session. Our data suggested that African American children spent significantly less percentage of time in sedentary behavior than their white counterparts, F (2, 171) = 3.33, p = 0.04. African American children’s light PA, F (2, 171) = 1.99, p = 0.14, and MVPA percentage, F (2, 171) = 2.76, p = 0.06, were slightly higher than those of the other two groups; however, the differences did not reach the significance level. This study suggests that African American children are less sedentary and hold higher PA-related outcome expectancy and social support beliefs than white children.

Keywords: accelerometers; underserved children; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; sedentary behavior

Category: Elementary P.E.

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Elif TOP ^1, , Mustafa AKIL ¹

• ¹ Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Usak, Turkey

Abstract

To understand the factors that affect sports in physical disabilities, it is prominent to conduct studies, especially on people who are engaged in sports at certain levels. This research was a cross-sectional study aiming at determining motivation and perceived social support on male athletes with physical disabilities. A total of 666 male athletes with physical disabilities aged 20-41 participated in the study. Personal Data Form, Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity (MSPPA) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used as data collection tools in the study. Participants received an above-average score from MSPPA and MSPSS in total and sub-dimensions. Individual reasons (one's own wishes, desires, situations that s/he thinks s/he will enjoy) were the most important in motivation; while in terms of social support the most significant one was family, the second one was friends. There was a positive correlation between MSPPA and MSPSS in total and sub-dimension scores of the participants. In MSPPA and MSPSS, the levels of the individuals with physical disabilities who did sports at elite level were significantly higher than those who did sports at amateur level. Our results revealed that motivation and social support had a very high importance on male athletes with physical disabilities. Our study is also important since it shows that athletes need more social support as they reach elite level and the social support has a positive impact on their motivations.

Keywords: Physical disability, motivation, social support, athletes, sport

Category: Coaching.

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“Call for papers"

We welcome papers to explore these research interests through systematic reviews and meta-analyses, experimental research, cross-sectional and prospective research, as well as qualitative research. Papers involving the following topics are welcome in JTRMK:.

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Bahar ALP ^1, , Elif TOP ²

• ¹ Institute of Social Sciences, University of Usak, Turkey
• ² Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Usak, Turkey

Abstract

Aim of this study was to examine motor skills and quality of life values of Turkish children according to age and gender factor, and to examine the relationship between motor skills and quality of life values. The sample of the study comprised of 434 students in 8–10 age group (X̅ = 9.17±0.80 years; BMI = 17.46±3.05 kg/m2; Weight = 32.45±8.30 kg; Height = 135.19±10.18 cm) who attended the primary schools in the city center of the province of Usak, Turkey. Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire-Family Form (KINDL-FF) and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2nd Version (BOT-2)-Short Form were employed in order to evaluate the students’ quality of life and their motor skills. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman Correlation test were applied to analyze variables. There was a significant difference between all of the motor skill values except manual dexterity and family sub-dimension of quality of life by gender (p< .05). A significant difference was found between all motor skills’ parameters and school sub-dimension by age factor (p < .05). While a positive correlation was found between the total quality of life and the fine motor precision, fine motor integration, balance, running speed & agility and total motor skill values (p< .05), no correlation was found between the other parameters (p> .05). In line with the data obtained from the present study, children of the 8–10 age group should be directed to perform various physical activities that will support motor skills and health. Increasing their health behaviors that will positively affect the motor skills may improve their quality of life as well.

Keywords: Motor skills, quality of life, school, children, family

Category: Motor development.

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Peng Zhang ^1, , Tao Zhang ^2*, Joonyoung Lee ²

• ¹ College of Health Sciences, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA
• ² Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA

Abstract

Social cognitive theory depicts student learning in terms of the interrelationship among motivational behavior, social environmental factors, and personal factors, which offers an appropriate theoretical framework for understanding student achievement outcomes in education. Limited research, however, has examined how these factors were interacted in a school physical education (PE) setting. The major aim of the present study was to probe the associations among perceived teachers’ support for autonomy, competence, relatedness, self-efficacy, persistence/effort, and students’ intention for future participation in middle school students by testing a theoretical model based on the social cognitive theory and self-determination theory. 211 students (109 boys, 102 girls; Mage = 12.44; SD = .99) enrolled in a suburban public school in the United States participated into the study. These participants completed validated survey questions that assessed their perceived teachers’ support for autonomy, competence, relatedness, self-efficacy, persistence/effort, and intention for future participation in PE. Positive relationships were revealed among the variables through correlation analyses. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that the hypothesized model demonstrated a good fit with the data (χ2/df = 9.1/7= 1.3, p = .249; RMSEA = .04; CFI = .99; NFI = .98; GFI = .96). Self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between perceived teachers’ support and students’ achievement outcomes in PE. The results demonstrated that perceived teachers’ support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness may enhance students’ self-efficacy and motivated behaviors in PE. Self-efficacy partially mediated the relations of perceived teachers’ support and motivated behaviors such as persistence/effort and intention for future participation in PE. Thus, creating a supportive class climate and enhancing students’ self-efficacy should foster students’ engagement in PE classes.

Keywords: Social cognitive theory, self-determination theory, supportive environment, learning outcomes, middle school students

Category: Original Research .

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Dr. Günay Yildizer

Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, Eskisehir Technical University, Eskisehir, Turkey
• Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Physical education teachers and coaches share similar pedagogical approaches in instructional activities. The philosophical perspective towards the nature of learning, how knowledge is acquired and how learning occurs might affect both teaching and coaching practices. The philosophical perspectives can be gained through formal education, experience or a mixture of both for physical education teachers and sports coaches. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to examine epistemological differences between physical education teacher education (PETE) and coaching education (CE) students with respect to their educational program and coaching experience. A total of 128 PETE and 130 CE students participated in this study. Epistemological Belief Questionnaire (EBQ) composed of Learning depends on Ability (LDA), Learning depends on Effort (LDE), and Only One Unchanging Truth (OOUT) factors was used to collect data. Two-way MANOVA results indicated no significant interaction effect, but there were significant main effects of an education program on all three factors, and coaching experience on LDA and OOUT factors. PETE students had significantly more developed beliefs in all three factors of EBQ, and participants with coaching experience had significantly more developed beliefs in LDA and OOUT. These differences might be caused by the "scientist to practitioner" approach applied in CE programs in Turkey. Promoting controlled coaching practices and improving cooperative learning opportunities pave the way for creating and sharing knowledge for improving necessary skills as much as developing personal epistemology among prospective sports coaches and physical education teachers.

Keywords: Coaching philosophy, coaching epistemology, physical education, teacher-coach

Category: Coaching .

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