The aim of this study is to investigate theatre plays for children staged by the State Theatres and private theatre companies in one specific theatre season in Bursa in terms of their essential language, physical, educational, entertainment and social characteristics. More specifically, the present study examines appropriateness of theatre plays for children in term of these essential characteristics stated by the experts and also opinions of audiences, parents, teachers, and professionals gained by interviews. Twelve preschool children between the ages of 5 and 6, ten parents who had 5 or 6-year-old children, and two preschool drama teachers were asked about their opinions after attending one or more of the theatre plays which were chosen for the study. The theatre plays which were chosen for the study were also scored according to the five different essential characteristics by two coders by using the &ldquo / theatre for young audiences evaluation rubric&rdquo / which was developed by the researcher based on the literature. The study presented the composition of the information gained from the interviews and the characteristics scores of each theatre play. The results revealed that As an outcome, this study documented general information about the existing, required and desired characteristics of theatre plays for children / specific information about the current status of theatre plays for children in Bursa / and also implications and suggestions for parents, educators, playwrights, theatre directors and further studies.

Dissertation (Ed.D.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Tom Martinek; submitted to the Dept. of Exercise and Sport Science. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Jan. 28, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-82).

Thesis--Gothenburg. / "Gymnastik och Idrotts-projektet, 15. Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (p. [1-11] (2d group)).

Thesis (M. Arch.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes special report study entitled: Institution and social behaviour. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-111).

Previous research has shown that fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency influences physical activity (PA) in children, such that those who are more proficient tend to be more active. Sufficient PA engagement in childhood has been associated with positive health outcomes, but little is known about PA levels in children with disabilities. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) represent the largest diagnostic group in pediatric rehabilitation. In one systematic review and six studies, FMS proficiency and PA levels among children with CP were measured, analyzed, and compared with typically developing children. The lack of a valid objective PA measurement method for children with CP was determined in the systematic review, and the first study (Chapter 2) validated the Actigraph accelerometer as a valid objective PA measurement instrument in this population group. FMS measurement in children with CP was addressed in the second study (Chapter 3), which showed that process-and product-oriented measurement are both important in characterizing FMS proficiency in a holistic manner. With the said measurement techniques validated, the third study (Chapter 4) utilized a cross- sectional study design to examine FMS proficiency and PA in children with and without CP. It was found that children were less active and more sedentary during weekends than weekdays. FMS proficiency was negatively associated with sedentary time and positively associated with time spent in moderate to vigorous PA in both groups of children. Process-oriented FMS measures were found to have a stronger influence on PA in children with CP than in typically developing children. With the intention to examine these relationships in a cause-effect study design, a theoretical model for FMS training programs was tested in children with and without disabilities in the fourth and fifth studies (Chapter 5). A movement training approach that minimized the amount of practice errors was found to facilitate improvements in FMS proficiency. This approach was then utilized in the sixth study (Chapter 6), wherein the relationship of FMS proficiency and PA were examined in a quasi-experimental design. It was found that by training FMS, weekend PA was heightened and weekend sedentary time was decreased among children with CP. In comparison, typically developing children manifested decreased weekend sedentary time after FMS training. The findings from these studies contribute to understanding the measurement of FMS and PA in children with CP, the implementation of FMS training in children in general, and the relationship between FMS and PA in children with and without disabilities. / published_or_final_version / Human Performance / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 10-week physical fitness program on the fitness profiles, levels of self-concept, and body-esteem in 3rd- and 4th-grade low-fit children. The participants were 17 children (9 boys/8 girls) who failed to meet the Physical Best fitness standards in at least 2 of 3 fitness profile components, including cardiovascular endurance (one-mile run/walk), muscular strength and endurance (situps/min), and flexibility (sit and reach). All participants were pre and posttested in each of the three fitness profile components. Self-concept and bodyesteem were also pre and posttested using a shortened version of Harter's Self-Perception profile for children (SPPC) and the Body-Esteem Scale for Children (B-ESC).The treatment group (n = 10) participated 3 days/week for 60 min/day in a vigorous physical activity program designed to maintain heart rates corresponding to 60-80% of each individual's V02 max. An Analysis of Covariance revealed that the treatment group scored significantly higher (p < .05) on the posttest than the control group in two of the four self-concept dimensions (athletic competence and global self-worth) and on two of the three fitness profile components (muscular strength and endurance and flexibility). In light of the problems associated with increasing children's physical activity levels, offering after school programs such as this one appears to be an effective strategy. / Institute for Wellness

The purpose of this study was to test the construct validity of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC), Parent and Teacher Rating Scales (PRS and TRS). Six samples were considered, including the Normative General and Clinical Samples for each measure (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992). Another pair of samples were taken from a database of a Georgia hospital (PRS n = 130, TRS n = 108). The Normative Clinical Sample of TRS scores was multicollinear, and was not used.Five models were designed for each measure: a single factor solution, the theoretical model of the BASC, and three adaptations of the scoring system. Using AMOS, these models were fit to the samples. Only the theoretical model met minimum standards for adequate fit. Multi-sample analyses with different combinations of parameter restrictions were conducted to determine which aspects of the theoretical model's factor structure accounted for the most sample variance. When fit to both normative samples of PRS scores, all aspects of the factor solution were found to contribute. For all other runs, it was found that error, unique, and factor variances contributed the most to the factor solution. This suggests that the relationship of variables/scales to the factors/composites in this model could be improved. It is suggested that practitioners disregard composite scores, and that the authors/publishers of the BASC consider using regression weights to formulate composite scores in the scoring program. / Department of Educational Psychology

Are today's children and adolescents physically fitter than their peers from the past? Both scholarly and lay opinion is divided on this question. Using a meta-analytical strategy, this thesis comprehensively quantifies the secular trends in the fitness test performance of Australasian children and adolescents, more specifically, the secular trends in power, speed and cardiovascular endurance test performance. It also provided a global context for the Australasian evolution. / The thesis starts by charting the global evolution of the fitness test performance of children and adolescents. To do this, an extensive literature search was undertaken to identify as many studies as possible, which explicitly commented on secular trends in fitness test performance. Only studies reporting fitness test performances at a minimum of two time points on comparable populations were reviewed. Although numerous studies reporting on the fitness test performances of children and adolescents exist, many only make informal comparisons with past results, with very few quantifying these comparisons. Data were available from 54 studies, on approximately 26 million children and adolescents from 29 countries, tested between 1911 and 2001. Most of these studies were very localised in time and space, and only when put together did they paint a global picture. Globally, power and speed test performances have evolved little over time, while cardiovascular endurance test performances have been declining systematically since 1970. The distributional characteristics of performance on fitness tests have changed over time, with increasing skew in cardiovascular endurance tests, but little change in power and speed tests. / After painting the global picture, the focus shifts to the Australian literature. This thesis used a more fine-grained-meta-analytical strategy, considering every suitable report, even if measured at a single point in time, to build up a picture of secular trends in fitness test performance of children and adolescents from Australia and New Zealand. A total of 56 Australasian studies were used to quantify the patterns of change of performance on fitness tests. Secular trends in mean test performance, and in the variability of test performance, were determined on 393,454 Australasians aged 6-17 years, tested in the period 1960-2002. Australasian children and adolescents follow the global model. The results show that there has been a sharp decline in the cardiovascular endurance test performance of Australasian children and adolescents in recent decades, with little change in tests of power and speed. There have also been increases in the variability of performance on fitness tests over time, with increases most marked in cardiovascular endurance tests. / Possible causes, correlates and mechanisms of change are discussed. It seems likely that changed in fitness test performances reflect physiological decrements, largely resulting from energy imbalance subsequent to changes in behavioural patterns (e.g. increases in levels of screen-based inactivity, reductions in incidental physical activity and increased access to energy-dense food). / Thesis (PhDHumanMovement)--University of South Australia, 2004.