The descriptive pattern of physical activity in Saudi Arabia: analysis of national survey data

Background Over recent decades, there has been a dramatic transformation in mechanization reaching all aspects of people's lives in Saudi Arabia. In the light of this, there was a significant change in physical behavior in the community. The aim of the current study was to investigate the national and regional distribution of physical activity practice among adults aged ≥15 y across Saudi Arabia. Methods Data from the Bulletin of Household Sports Practice National Survey were used to determine the physical activity practice distribution. A total of 26 000 families from 13 administrative regions across Saudi Arabia were surveyed. Results The proportion of the total Saudi population who were practitioners of physical activity (i.e. ≥150 min per week) among Saudi adults aged ≥15 y was 17.40%, while the proportion of non-practitioners was 82.60%. Conclusion This study found a low level of physical activity among Saudi adults who meet physical activity guidelines. These findings suggest that interventions and promotional programs should be developed to increase physical activity among the Saudi population.

Individualization of practice distribution in second language grammar learning

The aim of the present study was establishing to what extent individual differences in cognitive aptitudes were associated with second language (L2) morphological acquisition under different practice distribution. Sixty participants studied morphological rules of a novel miniature-language system in order to use them for oral production. They engaged in four training sessions in either shorter-spaced learning (twice a week) or longer-spaced learning conditions (once a week). Their oral production performance both during and after the training was related to their metalinguistic rule rehearsal ability (MRRA) and working memory capacity (WMC). Multiple regression analyses revealed that MRRA predicted learners’ training and posttest performance mainly under the longer-spaced condition, while WMC played a limited role at best under both learning conditions. These results suggest that practice distribution may be individualized based on learners’ aptitude strengths to optimize L2 morphological learning.

Socios o clientes: educación para la participación ciudadana en el Tercer Sector

La participación ciudadana es clave para desarrollar sociedades democráticas y garantizar una educación para todos. En este sentido, el Tercer Sector de acción social y educativa es un escenario imprescindible. Sin embargo, existen problemas en su funcionamiento procedentes de la aplicación de evaluaciones externas sobre la excelencia y calidad de los servicios. Dichos problemas han sido analizados para definir el estado actual del Tercer Sector y sus implicaciones educativas, ofreciendo soluciones y orientaciones para la práctica. Se ha abordado el reparto de responsabilidades para el bienestar, la influencia de la evaluación externa en el Tercer Sector, las carencias de capacidad ciudadana para participar en el mismo, y los retos y funciones de la educación en este marco. El resultado del análisis sugiere proteger el sentido original del Tercer Sector, descentralizar la influencia de las evaluaciones externas y aprovechar las tendencias pedagógicas de los últimos tiempos. Además, se concluye en la necesidad de una alianza entre la educación formal y el Tercer Sector para formar ciudadanos empáticos y moralmente autónomos. Citizen participation is a key to develop democratic societies which guarantee education for all. In this sense, the Third Sector for social and educational action is an essential scenario. However, there are operational problems arising fromthe application of external evaluations on service excellence and quality. These problems are analysed to define the current state of the Third Sector and its educational implications, offering solutions and guidance for practice. Distribution of responsibilities for welfare, influence of external evaluation on the Third Sector, lack of citizen ability to participate in it, and challenges and functions of education within this framework are addressed. The results of the analysis highlight protecting the original meaning of the Third Sector, decentralising the influence of external evaluations and taking advantage of recent pedagogical trends. In addition, the conclusion points to the need for an alliance between formal education and the Third Sector to train empathic and morally autonomous citizens.

Exploratory research on second language practice distribution: An Aptitude × Treatment interaction

ABSTRACTThe current exploratory study aimed at investigating the role of cognitive aptitudes in determining the effect of practice distribution on second language learning. The study investigated to what extent language-analytic ability and working-memory capacity predicted the acquisition of grammar under two learning conditions that differ in the interval between the two training sessions. Learners of Japanese as a second language were trained on an element of Japanese morphosyntax under either distributed practice (7-day interval) or massed practice (1-day interval). The results revealed that language-analytic ability was only related to performance after distributed practice, whereas working-memory capacity was only related to performance after massed practice. These Aptitude × Treatment interaction findings can help establish the learning processes operating under distributed/massed practice conditions.

La velocidad y la precisión en el lanzamiento en jóvenes jugadores de balonmano en función de la concentración de la práctica (The speed and accuracy in the shot in young handball players according to the concentration of practice)

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar los valores de la velocidad y de la precisión en el lanzamiento de siete metros en balonmano con jóvenes jugadores en función de la distribución de la práctica. En este estudio han participado dos grupos de diez jugadores de balonmano de categoría infantil (12,5 años, SD=0,9). Cada uno de estos dos grupos ha sido sometido a dos condiciones de práctica diferente (práctica concentrada y distribuida), en tres series de lanzamientos. Los resultados han mostrado que el grupo con una mayor concentración de la práctica lanza con menor precisión la segunda que la primera serie (F1,9 = 7.92; p<0.05). El grupo con mayor distribución de la práctica es significativamente más preciso (F1,18 = 7.18; p<0.05). Respecto a la velocidad del lanzamiento, el grupo que ha sido sometido a práctica concentrada presenta diferencias significativas mostrando un descenso de velocidad en los lanzamientos a partir de la primera serie. Palabra clave: distribución de la práctica, velocidad, precisión, balonmano.Abstract: This study analyzes the effect of the practice distribution in the precision and speed of handball shots performed by young players. Two groups of ten participants were involved in the study (12.5 ± 0.9 years old), with different practice conditions. One group participated under massed practice and the other one under a distributed practice, both in a three series of shots. A within-group analysis showed that the group of mass practice was less accurate in the second series than the previous one (F1, 9 = 7.92, p <0.05). A between-groups analysis showed that the group of distribution practice was more accurate in the third series of shots (F1, 18 = 7.18, p <0.05). Regarding to the shot’s speed, there are differences for the massed practice group showing slower shots after series one.Key words: distribution of practice, speed, accuracy, handball.