Summer Training Research Articles

Realist Approach to Continuing Training of Physical Assessment Education to School Nurses (Yogo Teachers) in Japan.

As part of efforts to revitalize regional medical care, we implemented training in physical assessment for nurses and school nurses. We conducted a questionnaire survey using a realist approach to evaluate the training for school nurses that has been ongoing for 12 years. The summer training held by the Toyama Prefecture School Nurse Association includes education on severity assessment (evaluation of consciousness and vital signs), auscultation (heart, respiratory, and bowel sounds), the Heimlich maneuver, a review of Basic Life Support, and case studies. Following the training, we conducted an online questionnaire survey with participating school nurses to assess the outcome of the program. A total of 122 people responded (response rate: 35.6%) with 109 (89%) indicating that the results of the training session met or exceeded their expectations. The most common outcome of the training was improvement in their own response capabilities, followed by increased trust in students/guardians and school staff members. The training also fostered a sense of responsibility among the participants, motivating them toward further self-improvement. Furthermore, within the school, it led to collaboration with other staff members, a review of the emergency system, and improvement of equipment, which was beyond our expectations. The findings suggest that continuous repetition of basic physical assessment education will form a community of practice and bring about collaboration and revitalization within the organization as well as the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Continuous training improved their ability to respond, earned the trust of students/parents and school staff, and motivated them to continue improving themselves. Furthermore, a community of practice was formed within the organization by continuing the training sessions.

Abstract B108: Developing and implementing an effective reflective practice toolkit on a cancer research training program

Abstract Hispanic/Latinos, Black/African Americans, Asians, American Indian or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders, or individuals who report more than one race are underrepresented in the biomedical workforce. In order to combat this disparity, the Summer Cancer Research Institute (SCRI) was developed to train underrepresented minority (URM) students in cancer research. This study explored the feasibility and impact of reflective practices on trainees’ experience and learning outcomes within the SCRI training program. Reflective practice has been shown to increase metacognition, competency, feelings of belonging, and the sense of a scientific identity, all of which are crucial skills for URM trainees. In this study, we developed and implemented a robust toolkit to support reflective practice, which includes (1) four reflective journal entries, (2) four bi-weekly check-in discussion groups, (3) two social media posts, (4) two reflective practice seminars and (5) pre- and post-program surveys. The toolkit was utilized to actively engage trainees in reflective practices throughout their participation in the summer training program. The goals were to (1) enhance the trainees' ability to effectively use reflective practice for their learning, and (2) support and improve their overall learning experience and outcomes in the summer training program. Grounded theory was used to analyze the data collected to examine how the completion of assignments included in the toolkit impacted the overall learning experience of trainees. This involved assessing the trainees' ability to critically reflect on their assumptions and biases, expectations, previous and current experiences, perceived challenges, and personal growth throughout the program, as well as their visions for future education and professional careers. The findings from this study inform our understanding of how reflective practice toolkits can contribute to positive outcomes and resilience among individuals engaged in a cancer research training program. In this presentation, we plan to discuss the importance of reflective practice in cancer disparity research education and the specific mechanisms through which it improved the trainees’ learning experiences and outcomes. We will also share the successes and challenges in implementing the toolkit and explore the potential for our toolkit to be utilized by similar training programs. Citation Format: Emily R. Kaminsky, Yuku Chen, Lin Zhu, Carolyn Fang, SJ Dodd. Developing and implementing an effective reflective practice toolkit on a cancer research training program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B108.

Comparison of On-Campus and Off-Campus Summer Training on Strength Performance of College Football Players

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in one-repetition (1RM) strength performances during summer training in college football players who remained on-campus and those who did not. NCAA Division II players (n = 85, weight = 102.2 ± 22.8 kg) self-selected to stay on-campus for 90% of the summer (ES, n = 14), 50% of the summer (PS, n = 24), and 0% of the summer (NS, n = 47). 1RM for bench press (BP) and squat (SQ) were performed at the beginning of summer and prior to fall training camp. Each player received individualized resistance training programs throughout the summer based on pre-test maximal strength measurements. Comparison of post-training BP improvement scores indicated significantly greater gain (p<0.01) for ES and PS (10.5 ± 8.5 kg and 8.0 ± 6.2 kg, respectively) than for NS (1.5 ± 5.1 kg). Post-training gain scores for SQ indicated ES (39.4 ± 30.6 kg) was significantly greater than PS (22.7 ± 18.8 kg) which was significantly greater than NS (1.7 ± 10.7 kg). Whether due to more consistent routine of training and/or greater motivation, resistance training under the supervision of a strength and conditioning specialist during the summer produced significantly greater improvements in both BP and SQ for those athletes who remained on-campus compared to those players who left campus for the entire summer.

Neurosurgery in Saudi Arabia: Navigating Through Future Pathways and Students' Perspectives

Neurosurgery is a surgical discipline that demands comprehensive knowledge in other specialties. It is regarded as one of the most competitive specialties. However, there is a new trend toward considering life-style friendly specialties. Therefore, this study aims to assess the neurosurgery perception and identify potential factors influencing such attitudes. An observational, survey-based study was conducted on medical students at the College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. An online-based questionnaire was administered to the participants. It consisted of 2 main parts: the first part collected demographic data, while the second part included 20 Likert scale-based questions. Pearson's χ2 test was utilized, with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. A total of 305 medical students from various academic years participated in the questionnaire survey, with nearly an equal gender distribution. Remarkably, a significant majority (76.72%) expressed uncertainty or disagreement regarding the adequacy of neurosurgery education during their medical studies. While a substantial portion of participants (69.5%) found neurosurgery intriguing, almost half (47.87%) indicated that they would not pursue it as their future specialty. The consideration of neurosurgery as a career path showed statistically significant differences in relation to both gender and academic year (P= 0.009 and P < 0.001, respectively). This study emphasizes how gender and academic year affect choosing neurosurgery as a career but notes limitations like self-reporting bias and a single-institution scope, which may affect generalizability. Future research might consider national summer training programs to engage more students in neurosurgery.

Mentoring Minority Cancer Researchers of Tomorrow: Comparison of the Face-to-Face, Virtual, and Hybrid Training Methods of the CaRE2 Summer Cancer Research Education and Training Program.

In our previous publication, we reported a framework to develop an undergraduate cancer research training program at Florida A&M University (FAMU) under the umbrella of the Florida-California Cancer Research, Education, and Engagement (CaRE2) Health Equity Center activity by harnessing the resources available at FAMU, the University of Florida (UF), and the University of Southern California (USC) Cancer Centers. The implementation of the CaRE2 face-to-face training platform was dramatically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the summer of 2020 and 2021 training periods. However, a concerted effort was made to restructure the face-to-face training model into virtual and hybrid training methods to maintain the continuity of the program during the pandemic. This article compared the three methods to identify the best platform for training URM students in cancer disparity research. The program's effectiveness was measured through motivation, experiences, and knowledge gained by trainees during and one year after the completion of the program. The results showed that the participants were highly positive in their feedback about the professional and academic values of the program. Although the virtual and hybrid methods experienced significant challenges during the pandemic, the hybrid training module offered an "above average" effectiveness in performance, like the face-to-face mentoring platform in mentoring URM students in cancer disparity research.

Abstract A111: Summertime fun: Findings from three cohorts of C-STEPS summer research trainees

Abstract Introduction: For the past three summers (2021-2023), a National Cancer Institute-funded R25 research education program has been underway at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, entitled “Cancer Research—Scholarship and Training Experiences in Population Sciences” (C-STEPS). The program engages a diverse population of undergraduate students from across the nation in hands-on, mentored 10-week summer research education and training in cancer control and population science (CCPS). Methods: Using a data-driven methodology, the C-STEPS team has collected quantitative and qualitative data via REDCap surveys to evaluate program aims and student progress and ascertain how students experience the program to improve it for future cohorts. Students who decline admission are provided a one-time survey about the reasons they declined and asked to prioritize factors in their selection of summer research programs. Students enrolled in the program complete a pre- and post-program survey, pre- and post-seminar surveys, and a bi-annual alumni survey. The pre- and post-seminar surveys reflect expected competencies for each of the eight seminars that are part of the curriculum. The alumni survey captures academic accomplishments and career updates since completion of the summer program. Results: We have collected three years of pre/post-program data and pre/post-seminar data. Student knowledge, confidence, and interest in CCPS has steadily increased within each cohort across each of the three time periods: pre-program, immediately post-program, and alumni (1-3 years after the initial research experience). The pre/post seminar surveys indicated that the structure of the seminars inhibited interactions between the presenter and students and warranted change. We have administered the decliner and alumni survey twice each. Data from the decliner survey suggest that students apply to multiple programs each summer and the timeframe for notification to students about their acceptance may need to be shortened to give students more time to consider their C-STEPS offer in relation to other summer opportunities. Data from the alumni survey indicate that students continue to engage in research with their C-STEPS mentor and present the research at their home institution. Conclusion: Efforts to decrease the length of time between when a student applies and when they are notified of their acceptance are at the forefront of the refinement process for the next cohort. The seminars have been restructured to promote more student-led discussions and interactions between presenters and students. The CCPS research experiences and professional networks students develop during the summer have led to new educational and career opportunities. Initial evidence indicates that the success of C-STEPS extends well beyond the immediate one-time immersive research experience. Citation Format: Shoshana Adler Jaffe, Paige A. Lynch, Judith Sheche, Joseph Rodman, Miria Kano, Shiraz I. Mishra. Summertime fun: Findings from three cohorts of C-STEPS summer research trainees [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A111.

79 Cross-Training Future Workforce on Data Handling and Interpretation for Precision Agriculture Systems

Abstract The objective of this paper is to report observations from a 10-week summer training program on Data Management in Animal and Plant Sciences. A total of six undergraduate students from three universities in the Texas A&amp;M University System [Texas A&amp;M University (TAMU)-College Station, TAMU-Kingsville, and TAMU-Corpus Christi] representing disciplines of Animal Science, Plant Science, and Computer Science learned handling and interpretation of sensor-based data derived from both animal sensors and UAV images of plant fields. Students attended weekly training sessions on data collection, management, processing, and visualization software including ArcGIS, MySQL and power BI. In addition, students also worked as a team and developed a database project and gave an oral presentation on their team project. On the pretraining survey, two students indicated that they had a background in animal science, two students indicated a background in plant science, one student in computer science, and one student with experience in spatial data. To begin with, the students had a mean score of 4.3 (range 0–8; on a scale of 0-10) for knowledge of data management in agriculture. One third of the students indicated that they did not have data handling experience, and one half of the students had some data analysis experience whereas one student indicated partial experience of working with data. In general, students indicated that they were very satisfied with the internship experience. On a scale of 0-10, the mean satisfaction score was 8.75 (range 7.5-10). Students indicated that they were more confident to work with and talk about data from animal systems (mean 8.5; range 7-10) and plant systems (mean = 8.4; range = 7-10). All students agreed that they learned at least one new concept related to animal and plant data ecosystems. Students indicated that the program was a good start for understanding the overall data architecture, indicated progress on data handling and thought helpful to understand opportunities in agriculture. All students agreed that their understanding of data management in agriculture changed significantly because of the course. Consequently, four students indicated that they were interested in career opportunities related to data in agriculture whereas two students indicated their interest in application of the developed tools for the on-farm use. When evaluating effect of the cross disciplinary training, students agreed that the training was helpful in learning concepts outside of their own discipline with the mean score 9.4(range 8-10) on a scale of 0-10. All students indicated that they learned team management skills and skills working with people that are different from their own. Students suggested improvement on the communications, prerecorded videos, in-person meetings, weekly reporting reviews in the future iterations for students to benefit more from the program.

Martial arts tourism - a new look (from the perspective of the organizer of thirty one summer camps)

Problem: The issue concerns summer camps that have been organized by one association for many years. Research questions are: 1) What is this type of tourism? 2) What is the main attraction that attracts participants? 3) How has the participation in these summer training camps changed over the years? Method: The participant observation is the basic qualitative method used here.. The issue also concerns participation in the international martial arts environment and tourism implemented in this environment, whether they are visitors or organisers. To conduct this study, we analysed Waga i Miecz, a local monthly magazine published between 1993 and 2022, and the author's own trips related to martial arts tourism from 1989 to 2020. Results: There was a stabilization when it comes to walking and the choosing the place of the camp. Training intensity reduced and competitive workouts transitioned to recreational activities.. Resignation from sports competition decreased the number of participants (by about 50-60%). The training is conducted by the same, increasingly older master-teachers. Conclusions: Changing the nature of the camp to a recreational one resulted in the participation of whole families. Nevertheless, the champions are still the main attraction. What also counts is the tourist attractiveness of the destination and social considerations – interpersonal relations in the group of participants.

An Electronic System for Summer Training Students Distribution in Organizations with Comparative Study of Association Rule Algorithms

The training of students is considered as one of the most promising forms of training to inform students with the reality of practical environment and what they require from serious and exact work. It may give the chance to other public sector organizations to be acquainted with the students' abilities and skills, in addition to the benefits of informing youths to join summer vocation. In order to solve the problem of students distribution to organizations and guarantee the equivalency between students desires and the capacity of governmental and privates offices, some algorithms were used to mine up data to uncover essential hidden relationships with huge data, &amp; Distributed Database has been designed for summer training . The data mining were also used to set reports that may refer to the delicate number of students required for training according to the specializations in the four departments of the College of Administration and Economics (application environments) with the number of nominee students for training in these departments using (oracle 11g.).

Factors influencing future career interests of pharmacy interns in Saudi Arabia: a survey from 25 colleges of pharmacy

BackgroundHundreds of pharmacists graduate from pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia, and various factors influence their choice of career pathway. Very few single-institution studies assessed career choices of pharmacy students with or without evaluating the influencing factors. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate career choices and the associating factors of pharmacy interns from multiple colleges in Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that surveyed pharmacy interns from 25 pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia using an online questionnaire. The survey was sent during the last rotation month in the internship year (May–June 2022).ResultsOf 454 participants, 411 (90.5%) were enrolled in Doctor of Pharmacy programs. While most participants were interested in becoming clinical pharmacists (n = 183; 40.3%), a considerable number were also interested in working in different sectors of pharmaceutical companies and industry (n = 127; 28%). Internship training significantly correlated with selecting clinical pharmacy specialist career (r = 0.19; P = 0.0001), whereas salary/financial incentives significantly influenced the choice of working as sales and marketing representatives and pharmacy product specialists in pharmaceutical companies (r = 0.29 and 0.24; P < 0.0001 for both). College courses correlated with choosing academia in pharmaceutical sciences (r = 0.20; P < 0.0001), whereas summer training correlated with the community pharmacy career (r = 0.11; P = 0.02).ConclusionPharmacy colleges should utilize results from this study to enhance the exposure of pharmacy students during their academic years to different pharmacy career pathways by allowing the opportunity to shadow pharmacists from different sectors as part of college courses, inviting previous graduates, and activating the role of academic advisors in career orientation.

ANÁLISE E PESQUISA SOBRE BIOMARCADORES DE CONDICIONAMENTO FÍSICO EM ATLETAS DE VÔLEI DURANTE COMPETIÇÃO

ABSTRACT Introduction: Athletes’ physical conditioning is closely related to the type of sport dedicated, training levels, intrinsic conditions of the athletes, type of load, and recovery status after exercise training. There is ample documentation on the physical conditioning of volleyball athletes in normal situations, but the literature is lacking in surveys during competition periods. Objective: To explore the physical conditioning through analysis of body biomarkers in volleyball athletes in competition. Methods: Before and after the summer training, fasting urine and blood samples were collected from five female volleyball players. Biomarkers involving white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, etc., were detected, recorded, and the data were statistically analyzed. After the general analysis of the sample, a case study of two elite female athletes was conducted. Results: The urea nitrogen value of athlete A decreased from 7.62mmol/L to 4.91mmol/L, and the urea nitrogen value of athlete B decreased from 6.91mmol/L to 6.57mmol/L; the urea nitrogen values of both athletes showed a downward trend. Athlete A’s physical function status decreased significantly after summer training, while Athlete B’s physical function status improved slightly. Conclusion: During the summer training period, it is necessary to perform continuous index measurements on the athletes to increase the timeliness of the data, which is conducive to in-depth analysis of the athletes’ fitness status. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Body Composition Changes in College Basketball Players Over Summer Training.

Body composition is an important determinant of athletic performance that is directly influenced by training and detraining. Collegiate athletes experience substantial variability in training intensity during a season, but little research has been conducted to track changes in body composition across periods of intense training and breaks from structured sport-related activities. Body weight and composition (fat free mass and fat mass) were measured in members of a collegiate men's basketball team over the course of an 11-week summer training period. Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans were completed at the beginning of summer training (June 2019), at the end of the 7-week intense training period (July 2019), and after a 4-week break (late August 2019). For analysis measures were converted into indices (kg/m2). Fat free mass index increased (p < 0.01) and fat mass index decreased (p = 0.01) during the 7-week training period. Significant decreases in fat mass index (p = 0.02) were seen between June and August. Fat free mass index decreased from July to August (p < 0.01). No significant changes were seen in total body mass throughout the summer training period. These data demonstrate cyclic changes in body composition during a summer training period that could impact athletic performance. Future research should further evaluate potential mediators and moderators of changes in body composition and include performance measures. Research in this capacity would allow trainers to optimize performance in athletes and bolster team performance.

Frequent use of Technology by Teachers and Teachers’ Performance: A Comparative study at Higher Secondary Level

Teachers will be more successful and expected to use technology in the classroom if they have the resources, they need to practice using it before utilizing it in a real-world education setting, like a classroom. The study's goal was to determine whether teachers' frequent use of technology and their performance at the higher secondary level were related. This study used a quantitative descriptive research design. All of District Lahore's colleges and higher secondary schools were represented in the population. It employed a multistage sampling approach. Questionnaires were used as the study's instrument. Mean, standard deviation, Pearson r correlation and independent sample t-test was used to analyzed the data. The findings of the study showed that perceptions of students toward the level of agreement about the frequent use of technology and teachers’ performance. It was recommended that the school has to include these interesting themes in their in-service training, summer training, and other ICT seminar-workshops so that students may internalize and appreciate the nature of this dimension completely.

Executive control of freestyle skiing aerials athletes in different training conditions.

IntroductionDue to the actual limitation of training conditions, the freestyle skiing aerials winter training term is short. Training tasks such as adaptability training and developing new skills are needed in summer training. When facing different training environments, freestyle skiing aerial athletes’ executive control over their abilities could be affected, which can affect their performance. Therefore, we want to research the effect of training conditions on executive control in freestyle skiing aerials athletes and its neural mechanism.Materials and methodsThirty-two freestyle skiing aerials athletes were recruited. We evaluated their executive control and used fNIRS to measure oxygenated hemoglobin concentration changes in the prefrontal cortex during a rapid event-related design go/nogo task with different training condition-activated materials.ResultsAthletes’ behavior control in the summer condition has a lower accuracy than it is in the control condition. Athletes’ behavior control in the summer and winter training conditions had a longer reaction time than that in the control condition. The activation of the bilateral dlPFC and orbitofrontal cortex had a significant main effect across training conditions when freestyle skiing aerial athletes completed executive control tasks. The activation of athletes’ bilateral vlPFC and left dlPFC had an interaction between training conditions and behavioral control.ConclusionDifferent training conditions can lead to freestyle skiing aerial athletes executive control ability to drop, players in different training conditions show less activation on both sides of the vlPFC and orbitofrontal. The bilateral vlPFC and left dlPFC have an integrated effect on behavior inhibition across training conditions.

The Influence of the STORM Program and Other Elective Experiences During the Summer Between the First and Second Year on Medical Students' Career Interests.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the Summer Training Option in Rural Medicine (STORM) program and other elective experiences during the summer between the first and second pre-clerkship years of medical school on medical students’ career intentions.MethodsA retrospective voluntary and anonymous cohort study was conducted by distributing an email survey to the 211 second-year medical students at the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSM). The survey consisted of a variety of questions regarding their recent summer break elective experiences.ResultsEighty-nine students (42.2% response rate) completed the survey; 21 respondents participated in the STORM program. Important factors influencing the choice of an elective included, working one-on-one with an educator, hands-on experiences, and receiving academic credit. Sixty-seven respondents (75.3%) concluded that their experience met their expectations, 50 (56.2%) concluded that their experience helped solidify their career goals, while 20 (22.5%) concluded that their experience made them question their career goals. Eleven respondents (12.4%) wished they had participated in a different summer experience, and 16 respondents (18.0%) changed their career plans after their summer experience.ConclusionsA break between first and second years of medical school allowed students to explore career options; such experiences may ignite a particular passion, solidify an already determined specialty choice, or dissuade a student from pursuing a particular career pathway. Medical school affirmation of the importance of significant, sustained, and student-chosen opportunities to work one-on-one with a mentor and engage in hands-on learning during the pre-clerkship years is crucial. The STORM program was one elective option that delivered on students’ expectations.

A Qualitative Review of Barriers and Facilitators Identified While Implementing the Native Students Together Against Negative Decisions Curriculum in a Multisite Dissemination and Implementation Study.

We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 44 Native STAND educators from 48 sites throughout the United States. We used a modified grounded theory approach to explore barriers, facilitators, and sustainability factors related to implementing Native STAND. We learned that disruptions to staffing, coordination, and organizational factors were the most common barriers. Factors that improved implementation success included: tailoring the program to local needs/constraints, having a supportive Project Manager, improved fidelity due to check-in calls, and participation in summer training. Factors that improved sustainability included: access to needed infrastructure, administrative support, community support, and student interest. The delivery of Native STAND was further improved by person-to-person communication and resource sharing across sites. Sustaining EBPs in AI/AN settings requires culturally-tailored technical assistance, sufficient implementation funds for materials and staffing, and a community of peer educators to inspire forward progress. EBPs that reflect the needs and experiences of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth are necessary to address systemic inequities in adolescent health outcomes. The Native STAND Dissemination and Implementation study is among the first to assess facilitators and barriers to program delivery in diverse AI/AN settings.

Pharmacy Alumni Views on Communication with their College after Graduation: A Cross-Sectional Survey

As the growing number of pharmacy students increases in Saudi Arabia, here in the western region Umm Al-Qura University, we found the need of investigating the views and preferences of pharmacy graduates towards their future careers and communication with their college. The main aim and objective of our research is to examine the perspectives of intern students, employers, and alumni regarding communication with their college. This is a cross-sectional study with a total of 201 graduates between 2009 and 2020 from the college of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, who completed the questionnaire from January 2019 to January 2021. The study showed that most of the applicants agreed with the convenience and meaningful effect of the internship and summer training on the occupied jobs. This agreement was in both Pharm-D and B-pharm programs and in both male and female.

CHANGE IN DIETARY CHOICE SELF-EFFICACY IN JUNIOR SOCCER PLAYERS BEFORE AND AFTER SUMMER CAMP

PURPOSE: The present study aims to clarify the effectiveness of a sports nutrition support program on dietary choice self-efficacy in junior soccer players before and after a summer training camp. METHODS: The study participants included 27 boys and one girl from the Tokyo Itsukaichi junior youth soccer club in Akiruno, Tokyo. Self-reported surveys were conducted before and after the 3-day summer training camp. Sports nutrition support program was provided with the aim of increasing interest in diet and nutrition, improving daily dietary habits, and enhancing performance and knowledge of sports nutrition during the camp period. Five-point of single item self-report measure used to assess dietary choice self-efficacy. To validate the measure, stage of change for proper diet was also assessed. RESULTS: Before the camp, two players had a score of 1, nine had a score of 2, six had a score of 3, and eleven had a score of 4. After the camp, two players scored 1 point, three scored 2 points, seven scored 3 points, 12 scored 4 points, and two scored 5 points. The more score related the more progression of stage of change for proper diet before (p = 0.002) and after camp (p = 0.001). The score after camp was increased from before camp (p = 0.02) whereas the stage of change was not changed (p = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence that dietary choice self-efficacy in junior youth soccer players increase, and that increasing dietary choice may lead to increasing interest in diet and nutrition, improving daily dietary habits, and enhancing performance and knowledge of sports nutrition after summer camp.

Ocean negative carbon emissions: A new UN Decade program

Ocean negative carbon emissions: A new UN Decade program

Improving self-efficacy beliefs and English language proficiency through a summer intensive program

This study examines the impacts of an intensive summer English training program on the self-efficacy beliefs and listening and speaking skills of college students at a large university in northwestern China. Mixed analysis of variance was employed to examine changes in students' self-efficacy beliefs and English listening and speaking skills before and after the program. Hierarchical linear regression was used to measure the extent to which self-efficacy beliefs can explain the variance of participants’ listening and speaking skills after the control of covariates such as gender, track, and pretest scores for listening and speaking, respectively. Results suggest that students improved their self-efficacy beliefs after the program although the changes in listening and speaking skills were not statistically significant. Pretest listening self-efficacy predicted posttest listening skills, but pretest speaking self-efficacy did not make any contributions to the prediction of posttest speaking skills. Discussions of these findings related to the self-efficacy theory and summer training programs were presented.