Therapists' Use of Instructions and Feedback in Motor Learning Interventions in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Video Observation Study

AIM

This qualitative study explored therapists' use of instructions and feedback when teaching motor tasks to children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) as a first step in developing practical recommendations.

METHODS

A conventional content analysis approach was used to analyze videotaped treatment sessions of physical therapists using a newly developed analysis plan. Inductive coding was used to code purposively selected video segments. The codes were sorted into categories to identify key themes. Analyses were performed independently by two researchers until data saturation was reached.

RESULTS

Ten video-taped sessions were analyzed and 61 segments were coded. Three key themes were identified: (1) therapists' intention with the instructions and feedback was to motivate or to provide information; (2) the preferred therapists' teaching style was either direct or indirect; and (3) parameters to shape specific instructions and feedback were the focus of attention, modality, information content, timing and frequency.

CONCLUSION

Therapists used numerous instructions and feedback with different information content, often shaped by multiple focuses and/or modalities to motivate children or to provide specific information about task performance. Although therapists adapted instructions and feedback to child and task, future research should explore how characteristics of child and task can guide therapists' clinical decision-making.

The child as a medium. Breakdown and possible resurgence of children's agency in the era of pandemic

This paper deals with the unpredictable outbreak of the pandemic, explaining its impact on the education system, and with structural flexibility as a way to face unpredictability, based on the generalisability and coordination of manifestations of agency. The pandemic has enhanced a narrative of the child as a medium of learning, which undermines children's agency. The example of the research project CHILD-UP (Children Hybrid Integration: Learning Dialogue as a way of Upgrading policies of Participation) is used to show how children's agency and structural flexibility in classroom interactions can be supported and analysed.

A Preliminary Analysis of the Importance of Distance, Angle, and Insight When Soccer Referees Make Penalty Decisions

Soccer referees move freely on the pitch to place themselves in the best location for making decisions. While Football Association UK (FA) highlights that a referee should never be more than 20 m away from the playing situation, previous studies have been inconsistent in indicating appropriate distance to a situation for increasing the likelihood of a correct decision. Further, appropriate angle and insight are also likely to influence the correctness of referees' decisions. The aim of this study was to provide an initial investigation of elite referees' positioning in the field (distance, angle, and insight) when making correct and erroneous decisions in potential penalty situations. An expert panel (EP) consisting of two active referees with relevant academic background analyzed referees positioning when making correct or erroneous decisions regarding penalties. The EP were asked to qualitatively analyze referees positioning in selected video clips by using recommended technical refereeing criteria and practical guidelines (i.e., the referee's distance from, angle to, and insight into the penalty situations). Of the 42 situations evaluated, the results revealed that the EP termed the referees positioning as good in terms of angle and insight in 25 and 21 situations, respectively. The angle was average in seven situations and poor in 10 situations, and the insight were average in 10 situations and poor in 11 situations. The match referee was <10 meters away in 12 situations, 10–20 m away in 22 situations, and >20 meters away in eight situations. Results revealed that referees' positioning that resulted in the highest rate of correct decisions were when the distance were under 10 meters (83% correct decisions), good angle (88%), and good insight (86%). In contrast, referees were poorly positioned in terms of angle and/or insight in nine of the 15 erroneous decisions made. Although the present study was a preliminary qualitative investigation containing a limited number of potential penalty situations, the findings indicated that soccer referees are more likely to produce a correct decision in potential penalty situations when the distance to the situation is under 10 meters, when the insight to the situation is good and the angle to the incident is good. In contrast, the match referees generally had a poor starting position to assess the penalty situations where they landed on a wrong decision. While previous studies have been somewhat inconsistent in indicating optimal referee positioning in soccer, the present study highlights the potential value of a more qualitative approach to understand referees' positioning and subsequent decision-making accuracy.

Strategies for using non-participatory video research methods in general practice

BACKGROUND

Non-participatory video research is useful for observing and analysing interactions between clinicians, patients and technology. However, few clinical nursing studies have used non-participatory video observation and there is limited literature describing the approach.

AIM

To describe a study that used non-participatory video observation in general practice.

DISCUSSION

The authors' experience of non-participatory video research methods indicates that the acceptability of the technique, workplace organisation and consultation space have implications for preparation and data collection. Strategies for success include engaging stakeholders early on, obtaining contextual knowledge and piloting the approach.

CONCLUSION

Non-participatory video observation is valuable in understanding interactions between nurses and patients in a naturalistic setting. Careful planning is essential to ensure alignment between research aims, context and technology. The methods for analysing data must be chosen carefully to ensure the research question is answered.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Video observation provides rich data. Careful planning and engagement of participants is required for successful conduct of studies that use the technique.

Talking with the alien: interaction with computers in the GP consultation

This study examines New Zealand GPs’ interaction with computers in routine consultations. Twenty-eight video-recorded consultations from 10 GPs were analysed in micro-detail to explore: (i) how doctors divide their time and attention between computer and patient; (ii) the different roles ascribed to the computer; and (iii) how computer use influences the interactional flow of the consultation. All GPs engaged with the computer in some way for at least 20% of each consultation, and on average spent 12% of time totally focussed on the computer. Patterns of use varied; most GPs inputted all or most notes during the consultation, but a few set aside dedicated time afterwards. The computer acted as an additional participant enacting roles like information repository and legitimiser of decisions. Computer use also altered some of the normal ‘rules of engagement’ between doctor and patient. Long silences and turning away interrupted the smooth flow of conversation, but various ‘multitasking’ strategies allowed GPs to remain engaged with patients during episodes of computer use (e.g. signposting, online commentary, verbalising while typing, social chat). Conclusions were that use of computers has many benefits but also significantly influences the fine detail of the GP consultation. Doctors must consciously develop strategies to manage this impact.