The Effect of using Incline Mat on the speed of Learning Forward Straddle Roll on Floor Exercises

The research aimed at using an incline mat to identify its effect on learning forward straddle roll. The researchers hypothesized significant differences between pre and post-tests in learning forward straddle roll. They used the experimental method on (34) sophomores from the college of physical education and sport sciences/university of Baghdad. The data was collected and treated using proper statistical operations to conclude that training aids have positive effects on learning forward straddle roll.

Digital transformation in education: from vision to practice during the pandemic

This contribution addresses the challenges brought on by the pandemic and argues that a forced acceleration in online teaching and assessment practices can become a sustainable model for the post-COVID-19 world. Technology is a great asset that provides learning opportunities for the whole community and the education sector should seek to adopt an innovative approach that firmly integrates face-to-face with virtual interaction. The effort to make the most of an unforeseen and challenging situation has brought Jisc’s prediction for future learning forward: our publication Education 4.0 Transforming the future of education through advanced technology, offers suggestions on how this can be achieved in the current climate.

Deep learning enabled inverse design in nanophotonics

Deep learning has become the dominant approach in artificial intelligence to solve complex data-driven problems. Originally applied almost exclusively in computer-science areas such as image analysis and nature language processing, deep learning has rapidly entered a wide variety of scientific fields including physics, chemistry and material science. Very recently, deep neural networks have been introduced in the field of nanophotonics as a powerful way of obtaining the nonlinear mapping between the topology and composition of arbitrary nanophotonic structures and their associated functional properties. In this paper, we have discussed the recent progress in the application of deep learning to the inverse design of nanophotonic devices, mainly focusing on the three existing learning paradigms of supervised-, unsupervised-, and reinforcement learning. Deep learning forward modelling i.e. how artificial intelligence learns how to solve Maxwell’s equations, is also discussed, along with an outlook of this rapidly evolving research area.

Examining the Psychometric Properties of the Standards Assessment Inventory

The purpose of this article is to assess the psychometric properties of the Standards Assessment Inventory (SAI) in order to confirm its construct validity using modern statistical procedures. The SAI is a 50-item assessment designed to measure the degree to which professional development programs align with seven factors related to “high quality” teacher learning (Learning Forward, 2011). These seven factors are Learning Communities, Leadership, Resources, Data, Learning Design, Implementation, and Outcomes. In their original evaluation of the factor structure of the SAI, Learning Forward (2011) tested one model containing all 50 items loading onto a single factor, and seven individual factor models, each containing one of the seven standards of professional development. To date there has been no published report related to the psychometric properties of a seven-factor model, which allows each of the seven standards to covary. The initial test of this model produced a poor fit, after which a series of modifications were attempted to improve the functioning of the SAI. After all meaningful modifications were added, the overall fit of the SAI was still outside of a range that would suggest a statistically valid measurement model. Suggestions for SAI modification and use are made as they relate to these findings.

Prevalence of Coaching and Approaches to Supporting Coaching in Education

Digital Promise and Learning Forward partnered to design a national survey exploring the prevalence of and existing support for instructional coaching across the U.S. This report discusses the findings of the survey and offers recommendations for improvement.

The positive effect of the use of cues for learning forward rolls in children with learning difficulties

The objective of this study was to verify the effect of the use of learning cues in the performance development of forward rolls by children with learning difficulties. Twenty-six children (12 boys and 14 girls) with 10,7 ± 0,6 aged were divided into two groups: group with learning cues (GLC) and group without learning cues (GWC). The children were indicated by the school as they present learning difficulties in several academic areas and, therefore, attend reinforcement classes in the extra-curricular period at school. The study took place in four stages: Pre-test; Intervention (five sessions, 45-minutes each); Post-test; Retention (two days post-test). For the motor performance analysis, the children were filmed and the videos analyzed by two evaluators, using the motor pattern check list for the forward rolls. Regarding GWC, no significant differences were found. On the other hand, GLC showed significant results during the evaluation phases. This showed that the use of cues to teach forward rolls to children with learning difficulties was positive, demonstrating that learning cues are fundamental resources which teachers in the area can adopt.