Resistance training and the enhancement of the gains in material-handling ability and physical fitness of British Army recruits during basic training

The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of a modified British Army basic training that included resistance training in improving material-handling performance and physical fitness, and to compare the modified training directly with the normal basic training. Forty-three males [19.2 (2.6) years of age, 1764 (72) mm in height, 73.0 (10.6) kg in mass] and nine females [19.1 (2.2) years, 1641 (67) mm, 62.0 (7.2) kg] performed the modified basic training. Testing occurred in the week before and in the final week of the 11-week basic training. Improvements with the modified training were observed for all six material-handling tests, including 8–12% for maximal box lifting, 15–19% for repetitive lifting and carrying and 9–17% for loaded marching (all p <0.01), and other established measures of aerobic fitness, strength and kinanthropometric characteristics. Significantly greater improvements were observed for the modified training compared with the normal training in maximal box lift to 1.45 m (12.4 versus 1.7%, p <0.01), 3.2 km loaded march performance with 15 kg (8.9 versus 3.6%, p <0.05), estimated fat-free mass (4.2 versus 1.5%, p <0.001), predicted [Vdot]O_2max (1 min ^-1) (9.3 versus 4.1%, p <0.01) and dynamic lift to 1.45 m (15.5 versus 0.2%, p <0.001). It was concluded that the improvements in material-handling ability and other aspects of physical fitness brought about in recruits by British Army basic training can be enhanced by the use of a physical training programme that includes a carefully designed resistance training element. Of particular note are the improvements shown in performance on material-handling tasks that require muscular strength, as these represent many of the tasks that soldiers encounter in their military careers.     

Effects of basic training on material handling ability and physical fitness of British Army recruits

No study has yet evaluated the efficacy of British Army basic training in improving material handling performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the current British Army basic training in improving material handling performance and physical fitness. Forty-seven males (19.4 (3.2)years of age, 1753 (59)mm in height, 71.0 (9.6)kg in weight) and 10 females (21.5 (3.5)years, 1623 (45)mm, 62.5 (5.2)kg) served as subjects. Testing was carried out in the week prior to, and in the final week of, an 11-week basic training course. Maximal box lifts to two different heights, and repetitive lifting and carrying of a 10 kg load did not improve with training. Static (38 cm upright pull) and dynamic (incremental dynamic lift to 145cm) lifting strength data concurred with the maximal box lift data in that no improvement was observed. Repetitive lifting and carrying of a 22kg load improved (29.5%, p&lt;0.001), as did 3.2km loaded march performance with 25 kg (15.7%, p&lt;0.001), but march performance with a 15kg load did not. Predicted VO2 max improved from 48.4 to 51.4 ml.kg-1.min-1, a change of 6.1% (p&lt;0.05). Fat-free mass increased by 0.9 kg (1.5%, p&lt;0.01), and body fat reduced by 2.7% of body mass (20.1%, p&lt;0.001), resulting in a loss of 1.2 kg of body mass (1.7%, p&lt;0.01). It is concluded that basic training in the British Army produces some favourable adaptations in recruits, especially in terms of aerobic fitness. However, the poor development of strength and material handling ability during training fails to improve the ability of soldiers to perform simulated military tasks, and it does little to reduce future injury risk while performing these tasks.     

IT under school-based policies for Initial Teacher Training

Abstract This paper describes aspects of a survey carried out amongst students and staff in the use of Information Technology (IT) in the initial training of teachers at the University of Leeds during the academic year 1992/93. The survey attempted to chart the IT profiles of students during their Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) year, assessing their initial and final IT confidence, their IT activities and problems they encountered, and the extent to which IT was used on their teaching practice. The results of the survey are discussed in the light of the changes which are taking place in the training of teachers.     

IT in post-graduate teacher training

Abstract  The IT capabilities expected of all students training to be teachers are now laid down in government guidelines but time on one year postgraduate courses is limited. It is therefore important to be aware of the IT skills that students bring with them to help develop the courses on offer. A questionnaire survey of nearly 400 PGCE primary and secondary students was completed for a 1989/90 cohort. This study set out to find what prior IT experience students brought with them, and what they perceived as their IT training needs. Two thirds of these students were found to have little experience of using computers either at home, school, college or work, and there was a very low level of experience of some of the more high priority National Curriculum software packages (e.g. electronic communications, modelling software, control software). Most students gave high training priority to learning how computers can be used in teaching. These results are discussed in relation to other surveys of IT in teacher education, and the implications for PGCE course development.     

The changing picture of IT experience in post-graduate teacher training

Abstract  The level and kind of Information Technology (IT) experience which our Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) students bring with them when they start their training is changing rapidly. This paper compares the IT experience and perceived training needs of two cohorts of primary and secondary PGCE students two years apart, 1989/90 and 1991/92. Many of the findings of the first survey were replicated in the second: there was comparatively little use of computers outside word processing and databases, and there were significant differences between primary and secondary student teachers, and between men and women in their perceptions of their own training priorities. There was a small increase in the degree of importance attached to most training priorities but the only one found to be significantly more popular was 'teaching information technology to students'. Comparing the two cohorts, it was found that there had been large increases in the degree of exposure to IT at work and at college, and significant increases in the use of word-processing, spreadsheets, desk top publishing and graphics programs. Analysis of the responses of students under 25 showed that the use of computers in schools was having an increasingly important effect.     

Little effect of transfer technique instruction and physical fitness training in reducing low back pain among nurses: a cluster randomised intervention study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a transfer technique education programme (TT) alone or in combination with physical fitness training (TTPT) compared with a control group, who followed their usual routine. Eleven clinical hospital wards were cluster randomised to either intervention (six wards) or to control (five wards). The intervention cluster was individually randomised to TT (55 nurses) and TTPT (50 nurses), control (76 nurses). The transfer technique programme was a 4-d course of train-the-trainers to teach transfer technique to their colleagues. The physical training consisted of supervised physical fitness training 1 h twice per week for 8 weeks. Implementing transfer technique alone or in combination with physical fitness training among a hospital nursing staff did not, when compared to a control group, show any statistical differences according to self-reported low back pain (LBP), pain level, disability and sick leave at a 12-month follow-up. However, the individual randomised intervention subgroup (transfer technique/physical training) significantly improved the LBP-disability (p = 0.001). Although weakened by a high withdrawal rate, teaching transfer technique to nurses in a hospital setting needs to be thoroughly considered. Other priorities such as physical training may be taken into consideration. The current study supports the findings of other studies that introducing transfer technique alone has no effect in targeting LBP. However, physical training seems to have an influence in minimising the LBP consequences and may be important in the discussion of how to prevent LBP or the recurrence of LBP among nursing personnel.     

Application of TOPSIS in evaluating initial training aircraft under a fuzzy environment

This paper develops an evaluation approach based on the Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), to help the Air Force Academy in Taiwan choose optimal initial training aircraft in a fuzzy environment where the vagueness and subjectivity are handled with linguistic terms parameterised by triangular fuzzy numbers. This study applies the fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method to determine the importance weights of evaluation criteria and to synthesize the ratings of candidate aircraft. Aggregated the evaluators’ attitude toward preference; then TOPSIS is employed to obtain a crisp overall performance value for each alternative to make a final decision. This approach is demonstrated with a real case study involving 16 evaluation criteria, seven initial propeller-driven training aircraft assessed by 15 evaluators from the Taiwan Air Force Academy.     

Initial estimates for the dynamics of a Hammerstein system

This paper studies the generation of initial estimates for the dynamic part of a Hammerstein model. It will be shown that ARMAX or Box-Jenkins models result in better initial estimates than ARX or output-error (OE) models even in the absence of disturbing noise. This will be proven by noticing that a static nonlinear system can be replaced by a static gain plus a nonlinear noise source that acts in a completely similar way to disturbing noise for the study of the second-order properties of the estimators in the prediction error framework.     

An optimal motion planning method for computer-assisted surgical training

This paper focuses on the development and validation of an optimal motion planning method for computer-assisted surgical training. The context of this work is the development of new-generation systems that combine artificial intelligence and computer vision techniques in order to adjust the learning process to specific needs of a trainee, while preventing a trainee from the memorization of particular task settings. The problem described in the paper is the generation of shortest, collision-free trajectories for laparoscopic instrument movements in the rigid block world used for hand–eye coordination tasks. Optimal trajectories are displayed on a monitor to provide continuous visual guidance for optimal navigation of instruments. The key result of the work is a framework for the transition from surgical training systems in which users are dependent on predefined task settings and lack guidance for optimal navigation of laparoscopic instruments, to the so called intelligent systems that can potentially deliver the utmost flexibility to the learning process. A preliminary empirical evaluation of the developed optimal motion planning method has demonstrated the increase of total scores measured by total time taken to complete the task, and the instrument movement economy ratio. Experimentation with different task settings and the technical enhancement of the visual guidance are subjects of future research.     

The development of an educational computing course for initial training of primary teachers

Abstract Current literature in educational computing concentrates on the creation of better software and more in-service training to maintain the impetus in the use of microcomputers in the classroom. This approach often ignores the vital role to be played by educational computing courses in initial teacher training, the content of which is much under-researched. This paper outlines the development of one such course at La Sainte Union College of Higher Education, in which the student teachers were asked to work at an early stage with groups of children using micro-computers. The results are very encouraging and specific conclusions are presented and discussed. These may be of interest to others involved with formulating policy and the provision of new technology courses in initial teacher training.     

Initial configuration dependence in a self-organizing robot

In this paper, we describe the dependence of an initial state in a self-organizing robot on an optimal structure configuration, where a “fractum” is used as a basic unit. Each robot operates on a genetic algorithm (GA) by itself, and all of them will produce a desired configuration. However, problems such as a deadlock state can happen depending on the initial configuration. A deadlock state means a state in which no robots can move because each robot moves autonomously. It is proved from simulations that a difference in the initial configuration can affect both the deadlock rate and the number of movements of fracta needed to obtain an optimal structure configuration. This work was presented, in part, at the Third International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 19–21, 1998     

IT in mathematics initial teacher training - factors influencing school experience

Abstract This paper presents some findings of a local study of the IT background of secondary mathematics PGCE students and the use these students made of IT in their mathematics lessons in schools. Traditional and school-based initial training schemes are examined and although some differences appear regarding the use of IT in mathematics lessons, these differences are not large. Nationally, future secondary courses will be school-based; implications for future training are considered.     

METKIT: training in how to use measurement as a software management tool

A Science is as mature as its measurement tools. Louis PasteurThe main purpose of this paper is to present the results of the ESPRIT project METKIT, a three-year collaborative technology transfer project in the field of software engineering measurement. METKIT was concerned with developing a set of integrated training courses that show how to implement process improvement programmes and use measurement as a powerful management tool. METKIT can be used by an organization to enable them to provide in-house training to their managers and software developers to enable them to understand control and then improve software development.     

Self-assessed changes in mental health and employment status as a result of unemployment training

The main question addressed in this article is: What factors in an unemployment programme serve both the individual and society? Our research focuses on background variables and process variables and how these can be assumed to affect certain dependent variables in unemployment training. The current focus is on the dependent variable "subjective assessment of the effect of the training on mental health", together with the more objective dependent variable of "employment status after training". Self-confidence, well-being, faith in the future, level of initiative and personal development have been used as indicators of self-assessed "mental health". Data were collected from an unemployment training programme in Sweden and the variables combined to create a hypothetical model. The model was statistically tested and then modified with the aid of LISREL statistics, which helps to adjust the model to statistical acceptance. The findings show that the salient factors directly related to the subjective assessment of the effect of training on mental health are gender, attitude to skills development, perceived training requirements and formal educational background. The latter relationship was negative. Of indirect importance are the level of commitment of the teacher, the satisfaction of the trainee with the process, and the level of control. The duration of previous unemployment was the only independent variable, which directly affected the employment status after the training, and this was in the negative direction. Of indirect importance for this dependent variable were training requirement, satisfaction with the process, own level of control and attitude to skills development.     

Initial state iterative learning for final state control in motion systems

In this work, an initial state iterative learning control (ILC) approach is proposed for final state control of motion systems. ILC is applied to learn the desired initial states in the presence of system uncertainties. Four cases are considered where the initial position or speed is a manipulated variable and the final displacement or speed is a controlled variable. Since the control task is specified spatially in states, a state transformation is introduced such that the final state control problems are formulated in the phase plane to facilitate spatial ILC design and analysis. An illustrative example is provided to verify the validity of the proposed ILC algorithms.     

Evaluating a range of learning schedules: hybrid training schedules may be as good as or better than distributed practice for some tasks

We investigated theoretically and empirically a range of training schedules on tasks with three knowledge types: declarative, procedural, and perceptual-motor. We predicted performance for 6435 potential eight-block training schedules with ACT-R's declarative memory equations. Hybrid training schedules (schedules consisting of distributed and massed practice) were predicted to produce better performance than purely distributed or massed training schedules. The results of an empirical study (N = 40) testing four exemplar schedules indicated a more complex picture. There were no statistical differences among the groups in the declarative and procedural tasks. We also found that participants in the hybrid practice groups produced reliably better performance than ones in the distributed practice group for the perceptual-motor task – the results indicate training schedules with some spacing and some intensiveness may lead to better performance, particularly for perceptual-motor tasks, and that tasks with mixed types of knowledge might be better taught with a hybrid schedule.     

Synergizing fitness learning with proximity-based food source selection in artificial bee colony algorithm for numerical optimization

Evolutionary computation (EC) paradigm has undergone extensions in the recent years diverging from the natural process of genetic evolution to the simulation of natural life processes exhibited by the living organisms. Bee colonies exemplify a high level of intrinsic interdependence and co-ordination among its members, and algorithms inspired from the bee colonies have gained recent prominence in the field of swarm based metaheuristics. The artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm was recently developed, by simulating the minimalistic foraging model of honeybees in search of food sources, for solving real-parameter, non-convex, and non-smooth optimization problems. The single parameter perturbation in classical ABC resulted in fairly commendable performance for simple problems without epistasis of variables (separable). However, it suffered from narrow search zone and slow convergence which eventually led to poor exploitation tendency. Even with the increase in dimensionality, a significant deterioration was observed in the ability of ABC to locate the optimum in a huge search volume. Some of the probable shortcomings in the basic ABC approach, as observed, are the single parameter perturbation instead of a multiple one, ignoring the fitness to reward ratio while selecting food sites, and most importantly the absence of environmental factors in the algorithm design. Research has shown that spatial environmental factors play a crucial role in insect locomotion and foragers seem to learn the direction to be undertaken based on the relative analysis of its proximal surroundings. Most importantly, the mapping of the forager locomotion from three dimensional search spaces to a multidimensional solution space calls forth the implementation of multiple modification schemes. Based on the fundamental observation pertaining to the dynamics of ABC, this article proposes an improved variant of ABC aimed at improving the optimizing ability of the algorithm over an extended set of problems. The hybridization of the proposed fitness learning mechanism with a weighted selection scheme and proximity based stimuli helps to achieve a fine blending of explorative and exploitative behaviour by enhancing both local and global searching ability of the algorithm. This enhances the ability of the swarm agents to detect optimal regions in the unexplored fitness basins. With respect to its immediate surroundings, a proximity based component is added to the normal positional modification of the onlookers and is enacted through an improved probability selection scheme that takes the T/E (total reward to distance) ratio metric into account. The biologically-motivated, hybridized variant of ABC achieves a statistically superior performance on majority of the tested benchmark instances, as compared to some of the most prominent state-of-the-art algorithms, as is demonstrated through a detailed experimental evaluation and verified statistically.     

Designing dynamic English: a creative reading system in a context-aware fitness centre using a smart phone and QR codes

Abstract

This article describes the design and development of a context-aware ubiquitous learning (u-learning) system for users to increase fitness-related reading comprehension in a fitness centre. With the use of mobile devices and sensing technologies, practitioners and researchers of ICT and ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) are paying attention to the planning and use of u-learning components to provide users more interactions with authentic learning objects in a real context. Meanwhile, English for specific purposes (ESP) with interaction design has been a focus in recent years; however, few ESP practitioners and researchers have explored fitness-related English with ubicomp. All of the users were satisfied with the use of the smart phones and scanning of QR codes on the machines in the fitness centre to develop their reading comprehension of fitness-related English. Finally, a learning design model for Fitness English reading with u-learning components was developed and elaborated from designers' perspectives.     

Eye tracking as a debriefing tool in upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) for general aviation pilots

Abstract

Upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) is intended to improve the ability of pilots to recognize and avoid situations that can lead to airplane upsets and to improve their ability to recover control of an airplane that has exceeded the normal flight envelope. To this end, a set of different training contents – from theoretical knowledge of aerodynamics and human factors to practice-based flight training – is necessary. In order to support the debriefing with an objective feedback, and because visual scanning is a core competence, two studies on subjective evaluation of aviation pilots – one conducted in a flight simulator and the other one in-flight – focussed on the practical application of eye tracking as a debriefing tool in UPRT. From a practitioner’s perspective, eye tracking appeared to be a useful method in terms of visualising instrument scanning techniques, supporting the instructor with objective debriefing material and fostering self-awareness in human processes. The discussion recommends adjusted UPRT instructor training and further improvements to eye tracking hardware and software.

Practitioner Summary: The article focuses on pilot evaluations of eye tracking as a debriefing tool in UPRT and the identification of critical elements in its use. Eye tracking is a promising debriefing tool for UPRT. The discussion points to desirable improvements of eye tracking hardware and software as well as adjustments to instructor training that are pertinent.