Ivan Čuk

Teachers’ perceptions of the inclusion of marginalised groups

This paper is based on the concept of inclusion as a process of recognising and minimising the barriers to learning and participation of all children, with teachers as the key players in implementing inclusion in practice. There are two key questions: (1) How do teachers rank different groups of marginalised children? (2) How do teachers see their own role, the role of the marginalised and other children, and their parents in the inclusion process? The groups included in the research were children with special needs, migrants from former Yugoslavia, Roma/Gypsies and children from poor families. In the latter group, it also looked at their counterparts, the children of wealthy parents. Research carried out on a representative sample of primary school teachers in Slovenia showed that children with special needs are among all surveyed groups of children those seen as the most helpless. For these children, teachers are also most likely to lower learning and discipline standards, while at the same time feeling the least qualified to teach them and seeing them also as having the lowest abilities. In the teachers’ opinion, parents of other children have the greatest reservations when their child associates with a Roma/Gypsy child, and teachers also put the least trust in Roma/Gypsy parents.

Should assessment reflect only pupils’ knowledge?

In order to realise increasingly complex objectives of compulsory education, it is necessary to have in place appropriate teaching concepts as well as assessment and testing guidelines. The question, however, is what should be assessed: levels of acquired knowledge, skills or attitudes? Should assessment be only a measure of the educational process outcomes, or should it also measure the process of knowledge acquisition itself? How should assessment be carried out in order to respect the principle of fairness and justice? In this paper, we will present results of a research project in which we were interested to find out what teachers would assess if it were up to them to decide. Our survey was conducted on a representative sample of primary school teachers in Slovenia. In spite of clear regulations prescribing that teachers should only assess pupils’ progress in relation to the defined objectives and knowledge standards, teachers underlined the necessity to also consider other aspects of children’s development.

Muscle Force-Velocity Relationships Observed in Four Different Functional Tests

Abstract The aims of the present study were to investigate the shape and strength of the force-velocity relationships observed in different functional movement tests and explore the parameters depicting force, velocity and power producing capacities of the tested muscles. Twelve subjects were tested on maximum performance in vertical jumps, cycling, bench press throws, and bench pulls performed against different loads. Thereafter, both the averaged and maximum force and velocity variables recorded from individual trials were used for force–velocity relationship modeling. The observed individual force-velocity relationships were exceptionally strong (median correlation coefficients ranged from r = 0.930 to r = 0.995) and approximately linear independently of the test and variable type. Most of the relationship parameters observed from the averaged and maximum force and velocity variable types were strongly related in all tests (r = 0.789-0.991), except for those in vertical jumps (r = 0.485-0.930). However, the generalizability of the force-velocity relationship parameters depicting maximum force, velocity and power of the tested muscles across different tests was inconsistent and on average moderate. We concluded that the linear force-velocity relationship model based on either maximum or averaged force-velocity data could provide the outcomes depicting force, velocity and power generating capacity of the tested muscles, although such outcomes can only be partially generalized across different muscles.

Original paper BIAS OF JUDGING IN MEN’S ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS AT THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011

The purpose of this study was to establish the validity (unbiasedness) and reliability of E-panel judges officiating execution of exercises in men’s artistic gymnastics at the European Championship 2011 (EC 2011) in Berlin. Overall bias was established in terms of average over-scoring or under-scoring of each judge compared to the final E score of a judges’ E panel. National bias was expressed as average over-scoring of gymnasts of the same nationality as the judge’s. Both types of bias were mostly small (within the +/0.1 point range), but statistically significant and also substantial (over 0.2 point) in some cases. Compared to other competitions, it seems that bias is becoming smaller over time and is also smaller in competitions of higher importance. Analysis of possible consequences of bias showed that overall bias may influence both scores and ranks of competitors, while national bias may be especially problematic in the qualification round, where it may prevent some competitors from qualifying for apparatus finals.

Integrative Examination of Motor Abilities in Dialysis Patients and Selection of Tests for a Standardized Physical Function Assessment

To reduce the need for a large number of executed physical function tests we examined inter‐relations and determined predictive power for daily physical activity of the following tests: 6‐min walk, 10 repetition sit‐to‐stand, time up‐and‐go, Storke balance, handgrip strength, upper limb tapping and sitting forward bend tests. In 90 dialysis and 140 healthy control subjects we found high correlations between all tests, especially those engaging lower extremities. Sit‐to‐stand, forward bend and handgrip strength were selected for the test battery and composite motor performance score. Sit‐to‐stand test was superior in terms of sensitivity to uremia effects and association with daily physical function in adjusted analyses. There was no incremental value in calculating the composite performance score. We propose to standardize the physical function assessment of dialysis patients for cross‐sectional and longitudinal observations with three simple, cheap, well‐accessible and easily performed test tools: sit‐to‐stand test, handgrip strength and Human Activity Profile questionnaire.

Six-Minute Walk Test in Renal Failure Patients: Representative Results, Performance Analysis and Perceived Dyspnea Predictors.

Objectives Six-minute walk test in dialysis population hasn’t been consistently evaluated for the isolated impact of renal failure and other predictive factors. We measured six-minute walk distance in patients representative for low level of comorbidity and searched for potentially modifiable predictive factors of performance and dyspnea. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with hemodialysis patients (N = 90) and control subjects (N = 140). Main outcome measures: six-minute walk test distance and dyspnea severity using the 10-item Borg scale. Results Median distance decreased from 600m below the 6th decade to 420m in the 8th decade of age. Dialysis dependence predicted 101.5m shorter distance in the adjusted model that explained 70% of variability in results. Adjusted for significant covariates of age, height and spontaneous gait speed, fat mass (but not lean body mass) and serum total iron binding capacity were significantly associated with distance (95% CI for B coefficients -4.6 to –1.4 m/kg and 0.1 to 5 m/μmol/l, respectively). Serum total iron binding capacity as an explanatory variable was superior to C-reactive protein and albumin. Dialysis dependence, odds ratio (OR) 2.97 (1.11–7.94), spontaneous gait speed, OR 0.08 (0.02–0.41), rate-pressure product, OR 1.15 (1.08–1.23) and hemoglobin, OR 0.95 (0.92–0.98) predicted dyspnea in the adjusted model. Conclusions Renal failure without the confounding effect of comorbidity is a significant negative predictor of performance at six-minute walk test and perceived level of dyspnea. Body fat mass and serum total iron binding capacity are the main potentially modifiable predictors of performance, total iron binding capacity being superior to C-reactive protein and albumin. Although hemoglobin is not associated with test performance, it negatively predicts perceived shortness of breath.

Is the Quality of Judging in Women Artistic Gymnastics Equivalent at Major Competitions of Different Levels

In the present study, the reliability and validity of judging at the European championship in Berlin 2011 were analysed and the results were compared to a different level gymnastic competition - Universiade 2009 in Belgrade. For reliability and consistency assessment, mean absolute judge deviation from final execution score, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, intra-class correlations (ICC) and Armor’s theta coefficient were calculated. For validity assessment mean deviations of judges’ scores, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance W and ANOVA eta-squared values were used. For Berlin 2011 in general Cronbach’s alpha was above 0.95, minima of item-total correlations were above 0.8, and the ICC of average scores and Armor’s theta were above 0.94. Comparison with Universiade 2009 identified vault and floor scores at both competitions to have inferior reliability indices. At both competitions average deviations of judges from the final E score were close to zero (p=0.84) but Berlin 2011 competition showed a higher number of apparatuses with significant Kendall’s W (5 vs. 2 for Universiade 2009) and higher eta-squared values indicating higher judge panel bias in all-round and apparatus finals. In conclusion, the quality of judging was comparable at examined gymnastics competitions of different levels. Further work must be done to analyse the inferior results at vault and floor apparatuses.

LANDING QUALITY IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS IS RELATED TO LANDING SYMMETRY

In gymnastics every exercise finishes with a landing. The quality of landing depends on subjective (e.g. biomechanical) and objective (e.g. mechanical characteristics of landing area) factors. The aim of our research was to determine which biomechanical (temporal, kinematic and dynamic) characteristics of landing best predict the quality of landing. Twelve male gymnasts performed a stretched forward and backward salto; also with 1/2, 1/1 and 3/2 turns. Stepwise multiple regression extracted five predictors which explained 51.5% of landing quality variance. All predictors were defining asymmetries between legs (velocities, angles). To avoid asymmetric landings, gymnasts need to develop enough height; they need higher angular momentum around the transverse and longitudinal axis and they need to better control angular velocity in the longitudinal axis.

Reliability and validity of judging in women's artistic gymnastics at University Games 2009

Abstract The aim of our research was to analyse the reliability and validity of judging on all womens apparatuses and all sessions (qualification, all round finals and apparatus finals) at the World University Games-Universiade 2009 in Belgrade. For validity assessment, mean absolute and rank deviations of judges’ execution scores were calculated. For consistency and reliability assessment, Cronbachs alpha coefficient, intra-class correlations, Armors theta and Kendalls W coefficient were calculated. Vault and floor exercise finals were the sessions with the highest scores and the lowest score dispersion. The overall highest individual judge average absolute deviation was 0.34 point and the largest mean rank deviation was 0.88 with most values well below this. A correlation matrix for between-judge correlations identified three judges (out of 20) in the apparatus finals sessions with remarkably inferior correlations with others. Except for vault and floor finals, the results in terms of consistency (Cronbachs alpha mostly above 0.95) and reliability (Armors theta mostly above 0.94, intra-class correlation for single and average measures above 0.87 and 0.94, respectively) were satisfactory. In conclusion, overall high values of reliability and consistency indices were found. Sessions where the variability between competitors is low (such as vault and floor finals in this competition) should be inspected with special care in future judging analyses.

Lateral Asymmetry in Upper and Lower Limb Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Youth Tennis Players

El tenis es un deporte que requiere movimientos asimetricos de los miembros dominantes y puede conducir a una distribucion asimetrica de la masa muscular. El objetivo fue determinar el volumen y grado de asimetria lateral de los miembros superiores e inferiores en tenistas juveniles utilizando un analisis de impedancia bioelectrica. Se aplico la prueba T para encontrar diferencias entre el brazo dominante y no dominante y las piernas y muslos derecho e izquierdo en cuatro categorias de edad. No hubo diferencias significativas en la masa magra de las piernas derecha e izquierda en los grupos de edad: 12 y menor, 14 y menor, y 16 y menor. Sin embargo, hubo diferencias significativas en la masa magra de las circunferencias de los brazos dominante y no dominante en los cuatro grupos de edad. Todos los jugadores jovenes de tenis tenian mayor masa magra en las circunferencias de los brazos del miembro dominante. Los jugadores de tenis en el grupo de 18 anos y menor, tenian valores medios mas altos de masa magra de la pierna derecha, con diferencias estadisticamente significativas. No hubo diferencias significativas entre las circunferencias de los muslos derecho e izquierdo en todos los grupos de edad. Los resultados muestran que es posible determinar con un procedimiento simple no invasivo y rapido, como la impedancia bioelectrica, la asimetria en jugadores de tenis.