Towards improving online learning in physical education: Gender differences and determinants of motivation, psychological needs satisfaction, and academic achievement in Saudi students.

Studies on students' perceptions and expectations during physical education (PE) online learning remain scarce. Centered on self-determination theory, the present cross-sectional study aims to identify gender differences and predictors affecting motivation, psychological needs satisfaction (PNS), and academic achievement during PE online learning. Data were collected from Saudi students' (N = 308, 161 females and 147 males) responses to the PE autonomy, relatedness, competence, and motivation questionnaires. Welch's t-test for unequal sample sizes, multiple linear regression, and binary logistic regression were used to compare means and to predict the relationships between the independent and dependent variables. The results showed higher autonomy and competence perceptions in female than in male students, but no differences were observed in relatedness. Female students presented higher intrinsic motivations, lower amotivation perceptions than males. However, no gender differences were recorded in extrinsic motivation. Students with less experience in online learning and weak grade point averages (GPAs) are more susceptible to having a high level of amotivation. Gender, GPA, and prior experience with online learning are the common predictors for all PNS and amotivation, while GPA and prior experience with online learning are the determinants of intrinsic motivation. GPA is affected by prior experience with online learning, autonomy, competence, intrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Therefore, teachers are encouraged to adapt their didactic-pedagogical behaviors during PE online learning according to students' motivation and autonomy perceptions. Structuring teaching activities with more individualized support for autonomy, competence, intrinsic motivation, and students' online skills/competencies ensures better learning efficiency and academic achievements.

Students' Perceptions in Online Physical Education Learning: Comparison Study of Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness in Saudi Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown.

The interest in the efficiency of online learning was and remains a major concern to researchers especially during the worldwide pandemic crisis (COVID-19). Nonetheless, there is a lack of studies focusing on students' perceptions in online physical education (PE) learning sessions. Based on the self-determination theory (SDT), the present investigation aimed to explore psychological need satisfaction (PNS) to understand the autonomy, competence, and relatedness of Saudi PE students during the online sessions undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. PE students (N = 321, 161 females and 160 males) completed an online questionnaire composed of demographic characteristics, grade point average (GPA), sleep and physical activity (PA) habits, and the physical education autonomy relatedness competence scales (PE-ARCS). A t-test and one-way ANOVA were conducted and revealed that female students presented higher PNS compared with males. Students practicing PA had higher autonomy values than those not practicing PA (p = 0.001). However, no differences were recorded concerning competence and relatedness perceptions. The groups practicing walking, aerobic exercise, muscular training, and specialty training had higher values in autonomy and relatedness. The groups that slept for more than six hours a night, had previous experience with online learning, and had a GPA of more than three recorded higher PNS values. Correlation analysis showed high interdependence of the three PNS variables as well as with the variables of gender, experience with online learning, sleep hours, and type of PA practiced, but not with GPA or frequency of PA practice. The PNS values regarding online PE sessions were (i) higher in female students compared with males and (ii) related to previous experience in online learning, GPA, sleep habits, and type of PA. Walking, aerobic exercise, muscular training, and training in a specialty affected both autonomy and competence perception; however, relatedness was mainly affected by walking activity. Therefore, it is necessary to support ICT knowledge of students with low GPAs and to encourage them to adopt balanced sleep and physical activity habits to increase their perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in online PE lessons.

Ten-minute warm-up in hot climate best assists thermal comfort, muscular power output, and fatigue, during soccer-specific repeated-sprint ability.

Structuring warm-up (WU) in hot climate conditions before high-intensity efforts is still drawing the attention of researchers and practitioners. The present study investigates the effect of two WU durations (i.e.10 min: WU10 and 20 min: WU20) in a hot climate (~31°C), on thermal comfort, muscular power output and fatigue after a repeated-sprint test (RSA) in soccer players. Twelve amateur soccer players (age = 21.13 ± 1.8 years; height = 172.5 ± 4.6 cm and weight = 70.8 ± 5.1 kg) participated in a cross-over randomized study, and they underwent a soccer-specific RSA test, after two WU durations and on different days. Peak power (PP), mean power (MP) and the fatigue index (FI) were calculated and analysed. Likewise, thermal comfort/discomfort (TC), tympanic temperature (Ttym) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded at rest, after WU and after RSA. The ANOVA showed a significant increase in MP after WU10 in comparison to WU20 by 1.9%, while PP remained similar between the two durations. A significant decline in muscular power in WU20 compared to WU10 appeared from the 5th sprinting repetition and continued to the end of the RSA. The WU20, compared to the WU10, produced higher RPE at post-WU (p < 0.001) and post-RSA (p = 0.018), and higher thermal discomfort sensation in both post-WU (p = 0.022) and post-RSA (p = 0.007) point of measures. Larger increases in Ttym were recorded after WU20 compared to WU10. WU10 in a hot climate (~31°C) best assists mean power output during soccer RSA, but not peak power. Extending the WU duration up to 20 min in a hot climate was revealed to be detrimental for muscular power output, inducing excessive thermal discomfort and fatigue. Therefore, it is important that trainers and soccer players carefully consider WU duration prior to competitions and training sessions in a hot climate, to optimize physiological responses.

Warm-up durations in a hot-dry climate affect thermoregulation, mean power-output and fatigue, but not peak power in specific soccer repeated-sprint ability.

BACKGROUND: This study addressed the lack of data on the effect of warm-up (WU) duration in hot-dry climate (~ 30 °C; ~ 18% RH), on thermoregulation, muscular power-output, and fatigue after specific soccer repeated-sprint test (RSA). METHODS: Eleven amateur soccer players participated in a cross-over randomized study and they underwent the Bangsbo repeated-sprint test, after three WU durations (i.e. WU10, WU15 and WU20 min) at 70% of MAV, and on different days. Peak power (PP), mean power (MP) and the fatigue index (FI) were recorded and analyzed. Likewise, heart rate (HR), tympanic temperature (Ttym), mean body temperature (MBT) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded during each session. RESULTS: The repeated measure ANOVA showed that MP improved after WU15 in comparison to WU10 and WU20 (p = 0.04 and p = 0.001; respectively). Nonetheless, no significant effect on PP was recorded after all WU durations. FI during RSA increased after WU20 in comparison to WU15 and WU10 (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003; respectively). Higher RPE values (p < 0.001) were recorded after WU15 and WU20 in comparison to WU10 duration. The two-way ANOVA showed higher ΔTtym and ΔMBT values after WU15 and WU20 compared to WU10 (p = 0.039 and p < 0.001for Ttym; p = 0.005 and p < 0.001 for MBT, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The WU15 at 70% of MAV better assists mean power-output during soccer RSA in hot-dry (~ 30 °C; 18% RH) climate, but not peak power. Reducing WU duration up to 10 min seems to be insufficient to induce beneficial physiological changes necessary for optimizing repeated-sprint performance, while its extension up to 20 min remains detrimental for muscular power and induces higher fatigue.

Effects of Combined Versus Singular Verbal or Haptic Feedback on Acquisition, Retention, Difficulty, and Competence Perceptions in Motor Learning.

While augmented feedback (AF) is widely acknowledged to affect motor learning, the effects of mode of feedback on motor learning acquisition, retention, and perceived competence has rarely been studied. The present investigation analyzes the effects of verbal, haptic, and combined (verbal and haptic) feedback when learning a novel gymnastic parallel bars task. Forty-eight physical education students and four expert gymnastics teachers participated in the study. We divided the students into three AF groups (verbal, haptic, and combined) and a no-feedback control group (CG). One gymnastics teacher led the learning sessions, while the others evaluated student performances following familiarization, acquisition, and retention learning phases. All sessions were video recoded, and the experts gave blind assessments according to an adapted gymnastic point code. We recorded task perceived difficulty (PD) and students' perceived self-competency throughout the sessions. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of AF mode on acquisition and retention such that combined AF was best for learning stability and retention (19.1% improvement for combined vs. 9.9% for haptic and 6.9% for verbal). Similarly, participants in the combined AF group, relative to the verbal and haptic AF groups, also reported lower perceived difficulty and higher perceived self-competency after the retention phase. PE teachers are encouraged to combine verbal and haptic AF when teaching new motor skills.

Acute effect of stretching modalities on global coordination and kicking accuracy in 12-13year-old soccer players.

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of stretching procedures on global coordination and accuracy in instep soccer kicks achieved in different stress conditions. Twenty male young soccer players completed the global coordination test (GC), the instep kicking accuracy test in free (FKA) and in time-pressure (TPKA) conditions, either after static (SS), dynamic (DS), ballistic (BS) or no-stretching (CTR) protocols, on nonconsecutive days and in a randomized order. After performing a 5min standardized intensity jogging (70% of MAV), followed by stretching exercises for 10min, each participant completed, successively, the GC, FKA and TPKA tests. Accuracy data, heart-rate, rating of perceived exertion and task difficulty perception were recorded and analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. GC scores were analyzed using one way ANOVA with repeated measures. The results showed higher GC and TPKA performances after DS and BS procedures. However, there was no effect of the stretching procedures on FKA. The GC scores increased by 10.8% and 7.2% after DS and BS, respectively, but were not affected by SS. Compared to FKA, the TPKA accuracy significantly decreased by 20.2% after CTR (p<0.01) and 30.7% SS (p<0.001) with no significant difference after DS (10.1%; p>0.05) and BS (11.0%; p>0.05). The use of dynamic and ballistic stretching yielded to better GC scores and helped reducing the adverse effect of time-pressure on instep kicking accuracy. Consequently, dynamic and ballistic exercises can be recommended before practicing activities requiring coordination and lower limbs speed and accuracy.

Acute effect of stretching modalities and time-pressure on accuracy and consistency of throwing darts among 12- and 13-year-old schoolboys.

BACKGROUND: The present study addressed the lack of data on the effect of different types of stretching on selected measures of throwing accuracy. We hypothesized that the stretching procedures, within pre-exercise warm-up, could affect the accuracy and the consistency in throwing darts performances under different stress conditions. METHODS: Eighteen right-handed schoolboys (13.1±0.4 years, 166±0.1 cm and 54.5±9 kg; mean±SD) completed the Darts Throwing Accuracy Test in free (FDT) and in time-pressure (TPDT) conditions, either after static (SS), dynamic (DS), ballistic (BS) or no-stretching (NS) protocols, on nonconsecutive days and in a counter-balanced randomized order. After performing 5 minutes of light standardized jogging and one of the three stretching protocols for 10 minutes, each participant completed the FDT and TPDT tests. Mean scores, missed darts and variability of scores, were recorded and analyzed using a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Heart rate (HR), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and the task difficulty perception (DP), were recorded through each experimental session. RESULTS: There was no effect of the stretching procedures on accuracy in FDT. However, in the TPDT condition, better performances were recorded after NS and SS compared to DS and BS. The accuracy performances decreased in TPDT by 9.6% after NS (P<0.01); 15.3% after DS (P<0.001) and 11.8% after BS (P<0.001); but not after SS (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Static stretching helped reducing the adverse effects of time-pressure on darts throwing performance. Consequently, static exercises are recommended before practicing activities requiring both upper limbs speed and accuracy.

Effects of recovery mode on physiological and psychological responses and performance of specific skills in young soccer players.

BACKGROUND: The ability to perform repeated sprints is likely influenced by the mode of the recovery. Despite performance time, peak power, and mean power measured in most of studies, there are other specific sport abilities that should be examined after different recovery strategies.The aim of this study was to examine the effects of recovery modes (active [AR] vs. passive [PR]) on physiological performance (lactate, HR, and blood pressure), psychological performance (perceived exertion rating [RPE] and feeling scale [FS]), and specific skills (kicking accuracy [KA] and repeated dribbling) in young soccer players. METHODS: Ten male children (age 14.6±0.8 yr; experience 5.3±0.4 yr; body height 1.63±0.4 m; body mass 52.5±4.9 kg) who were soccer players performed two kicking accuracy tests on two separate occasions that involved ten 20-m dribbling speed tests with 20 s of PR or AR in a random order. The dribbling speed performance, total dribbling time (TT), best dribbling time (BT), mean time (MT), RPE, FS, blood pressure (BP), HR, lactate concentration ([La]), and KA were recorded. In addition, the Fatigue Index (FI) was calculated from the Repeated Dribbling Sprint Test (RDST). RESULTS: The results showed that performing the RDST with PR between exercise bouts resulted in a shorter dribbling sprint time, as compared with AR during the last six repetitions. TT, MT, and FI (P<0.001) were higher in AR than PR. However, BT, kicking accuracy, and the physiological parameters (i.e., [La], systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure) were not affected by the recovery type. Conversely, the present study demonstrated a better feeling score and lower perception of effort during passive recovery than during the active mode. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrate that PR is better than AR for RDST performance and for subjective fatigue estimation. Therefore, coaches and athletes are advised to utilize PR during competitions and training sessions requiring repeated high intensity exercises.