New Director at BASES

Human Kinetics Europe’s Finance Director, Graham Wilson, has joined the Board of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) in the role of Non-Executive Director.

Speaking of his appointment Graham said “I am delighted and honoured to have have been appointed to the BASES board and I hope that the experience I have gained in the commercial publishing sector will offer the organization a slightly different perspective on sport and exercise sciences.”

British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference
Leeds Met. University
1st – 3rd September, 2009

The annual conference brings together academic, education and practitioner experts in this field, from both the UK and overseas, to share knowledge, exchange ideas and encourage the spread of evidenced and innovative practice in the sport and exercise sciences.

Consequently, the aim of the conference is to deliver a programme that meaningfully engages all delegates and stimulates debate and discussion.

More information >>

Academic News September 2008

Dear Colleague,

Welcome to the September issue of Academic News.

We’re back from the BASES Annual Conference, re- energised and invigorated for the coming academic year. And what a successful conference it was! Held at Brunel University, with over 630 delegates attending, it was great to meet so many of you. John Dickinson met up with many of our authors, and we hope to launch lots of UK-authored projects in the next 6 months. Look out for new books from the great and the good in UK sport science – we’ll keep you posted within these pages.

In this issue we highlight the Ancillaries that are available with many of our major academic titles. These online additions extend the scope of these titles significantly help both educators and students alike gain the maximum benefit.
We also look at research that suggests exercise can offset some of the effects of smoking.
Good news for Universities with reports that income has risen by over 50% in the last six years, but not so good news for students though as they face a future saddled with debt.
The conference season is upon us and it’s not just for politicians as our ‘dates for your diary’ column shows.
And, as ever, we bring you the very latest information on the latest Human Kinetics titles.

Product of the month… Deviance and Social Control in Sport On-Line Ancillary Support Materials for Major Titles Puffing their way to glory Universities see income rise by over 50 per cent Debt-ridden health students consider quitting DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Academic News inspection copy requests

Product of the month…

People who choose a career in the recreation or leisure fields will spend a large amount of their time in groups. Group Dynamics in Recreation and Leisure: Creating Conscious Groups Through an Experiential Approach builds skills not only in working in group settings but also in creating and facilitating conscious groups. A conscious group is one that recognizes the personal growth of its members as being the main group objective. Most people in recreational activities and events are looking to meet people and take part in positive group interaction, providing recreation professionals with a perfect opportunity to develop successful conscious groups. Group Dynamics in Recreation and Leisure introduces group dynamics theory and current research as it applies to recreation and leisure settings. It presents the key concepts and terms, a brief history of the field and the various theories and models of group development. The text goes on to explain the concept of the conscious group, describes the nature and components of a conscious group and applies experiential learning theory to working with these groups. Group Dynamics in Recreation and Leisure also moves beyond the theory to show students that their understanding of group dynamics can be a meaningful and realistic tool. They’ll learn to apply the theory to the practical factors and issues involved in leading and working with conscious groups. They’ll explore group goal setting; clarification of objectives and expectations; processes for decision making and problem solving; positive communication; ethics, morals, and values; effective leadership of recreation groups; and the effects of conflict, power, gender, and environment on group functioning. Students will also find a thorough examination of common issues that arise when working with groups, including potential pitfalls and strategies for dealing with or avoiding those pitfalls. They’ll learn about the strengths, weaknesses, and myths of group interaction, including signs of “illness” within groups; working with alternative groups, such as cooperative living groups, as well as involuntary groups and unwilling participants; and capitalizing on diversity and difference. Because those in recreation professions so often work with large groups, crowd dynamics is also discussed. The authors describe how individual and small-group behaviour can affect larger groups and also look at mob behaviour and riots. Throughout the book, case studies, scenarios, and examples from leisure services, parks, tourism, and experiential education help students better understand and apply the information PRICE: £23.00 (31.00 Euros) Read more about the book!

Deviance and Social Control in Sport

The world of sport offers a deep and often overlooked, source for the study of deviance and its development and impact on society. Deviance and Social Control in Sport challenges preconceived understandings regarding the relationship of deviance and sport and offers a conceptual framework for future work in a variety of sociological subfields. Drawing on their cutting-edge research in criminology and deviance in the discipline of sociology co-authors Atkinson and Young provide a textured understanding of sport-related deviance through the application of various approaches to deviance in a sport context. Using extended case studies, the authors examine the subject of deviance through examples that are popular (fan violence, hockey enforcers, effect of the media), understudied (sport-related violence against animals, athletes as on-field victims of violence), or emerging (sport security, drugs and weight control, cybernetic athletes, extreme sports). This engaging presentation allows readers to fully understand the effects of sport deviance in society. By considering networks of social relationships and how they produce, define and police rule violation and rule violators, Deviance and Social Control in Sport offers a nuanced and integrated explanation of sport deviance that accounts for the behaviours and practices of both individuals and teams. This interdisciplinary text challenges readers to explore the dimensions and analytic merit of a full spectrum of crime and deviancy theories, thus stimulating a broader discussion of rule breaking in sport. Deviance and Social Control in Sport will act as a valuable reference for sport sociologists, sociologists and criminologists; a supplemental text for upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses relating to social deviance to sport. PRICE: £26.00 (35.00 Euros) Read more about the book

On-Line Ancillary Support Materials for Major Titles

Many of Human Kinetics’ major academic titles come with a range of ancillary online features designed specifically to help tutors and lecturers present the material in a more effective way and to allow students to assimilate the vast amount of information provided. Although the content will vary from book to book, it would typically include the types of items listed below. For Lecturers this material would normally include: An Instructor guide containing sample lecture outlines, key points, student assignments, sample exercises, and direct links to detailed sources on the Internet for every chapter in the text. A Test package usually featuring a bank of more than 1,500 questions, including true-or-false, fill-in-the- blank, essay and short answer and multiple-choice. With the free software provided, instructors can: Create print versions of their own tests by selecting from the question pool Create, store, and retrieve their own questions select their own test forms and save them for later editing or printing export the tests into a word-processing programme. A Presentation Package containing a comprehensive series of PowerPoint slides for each chapter of the book. Learning objective slides present the major topics covered in each chapter, text slides list key points and illustration while photo slides contain graphics found in the text. The presentation package has hundreds of slides that can either be used directly with PowerPoint to print transparencies and slides or to make copies for distribution to students. Instructors can easily add, modify, or rearrange the order of the slides. For Students An Online Student Study Guide with dynamic and interactive learning activities, all of which can be conducted externally. The site offers self- rating checklists that allow students to target concepts they need extra help with and unique “My Notes” study aids that are customisable and can be saved to a student’s computer. Activity feedback presents specific text page references to review for incorrect responses. Additional resources in the online study guide include glossary terms that are emphasized on their first appearance and include a pop-up definition, quizzes that test students’ knowledge of the material, and links to professional journals as well as organization and career information to extend students’ knowledge beyond the school environment. To give you some idea of these ancillary features and how you can use them to provide extra impact we have produced a PDF file composed of some of the materials available. View the presentation

Puffing their way to glory

A number of athletes have managed to combine sporting excellence with a cigarette habit. Is it possible that being super-fit lessens the risks of smoking? It is easy to view super-fit runners who spend hours each week pounding pavements as vice-free obsessives, but this is not always the case. A recent poll conducted by Runner’s World magazine in America revealed that 6% of the 2,500 runners who responded smoked regularly, 2% of them in secret so their jogging buddies would not find out. Even more surprising, perhaps, is that Bart Yasso, the magazine’s chief running officer, says the results were not entirely unexpected. Yasso, who quit years ago, says he knows plenty of athletic types who smoke. “They are very secretive,” he says. “I know they are not proud of it. These are people you would never have guessed were smokers.” And it’s not just runners. Other sports have more than their fair share of nicotine addicts. Certainly, for those who can’t give up, exercise offers some protective effects against the well-documented risks of cigarette smoking. In a 2006 study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, scientists from the universities of Minnesota and Pennsylvania showed that women who were current or former smokers and who also did high levels of physical activity were less likely to suffer from lung cancer than sedentary ex-smokers. “When you exercise, that improves your cardiovascular function and your HDL cholesterol and generally it’s just good for you,” says Stanton Glantz, a professor of medicine in the cardiology department of the University of California, who has also been studying the links. “So if you smoke and exercise you are going to be better off than if you smoke and don’t exercise.” Source: The Guardian Read the full article

Universities see income rise by over 50 per cent

Universities have seen their overall income rise by more than 50 per cent in six years, according to new research. In 2006/07, half of the high education sector’s income came from teaching and research grants and tuition fees. The research from vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK found that the largest relative increase in income is from fees from international students. The report found that “during the last five years, fees from non-EU students have come to represent a bigger share of higher institutions’ income than the funding council’s research grants.” Professor Geoffrey Crosswick, who led the report group said: “This year’s report includes extensive financial analysis which is made available at an important period for higher education funding. “The analysis provides evidence of the increasingly diverse income portfolio that universities are developing as part of a wider strategy to reduce its dependence on public funding.” The report highlighted wide variations between the public research grants received by different universities. It noted that within the higher education sector “almost a half of institutions receive either no research grants or less than 2 per cent of the total institutional income. “A second group receive between 2 per cent and 14 per cent of its income from the funding council’s research grants, while a small group receive a greater proportion.” It noted that around 60 institutions receive 2 per cent or less, while less than 10 receive 20 per cent of their income from research grants. Read the full article

Debt-ridden health students consider quitting

Almost half of health students are considering quitting their studies because of thousands of pounds worth of debts, according to new research. Unison said a survey of 10,000 students across the UK showed most had average debts of almost £7,000, although one in four owed £10,000. Nursing diploma students starting in a new job owed an average of 40% of their salary in debts and would take seven years to pay it back if they settled at a rate of £100 a month, the report said. Source: The Independent Read the whole article

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

CRY International Conferences
The Cavendish Conference Centre, 22 Duchess Mews, London, W1G 9DT

10th October
“Sports Cardiology: From Theory to Practice”
The broad phenotype of conditions causing young sudden cardiac death (YSCD) in athletes will be reviewed, as well as the practical skills required (ECG, ECHO, MRI) for diagnosing inherited cardiac conditions. The different methods used to diagnose conditions and prevent YSCD in athletes will be evaluated as well as the pros and cons of cardiac screening in athletes. The final session will evaluate the methods used (from an international perspective) in assessing and managing difficult cases.

11th October
“Diagnosis & Management of Inherited Cardiovascular Disease” Review of the broad phenotype of conditions causing young sudden cardiac death (YSCD), as well as the methods used to diagnose these conditions. The role of Expert Cardiac Pathology (diagnostic/ management) after YSCD will be identified not only in determining an accurate cause of death but also focusing on the diagnosis and management of first degree relatives. The methods used in assessing and managing case studies will be evaluated with a specific focus on families after a YSCD.
For further information

BHNFC 8th Annual Conference ‘Opening Doors to an Active Life: how to engage inactive communities’ 19th November 2008, East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham

This conference aims to provide practical examples, solutions and guidance on how to engage older adults, socially deprived communities, girls and women, BME groups, people with disabilities and people with mental ill health in physical activity.

For further information

Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Inaugural Conference
11th – 12th December, BPS, 30 Tabernacle Street, London

The Division’s inaugural conference is an exciting development and the programme will include workshops, poster sessions, symposia, oral communications and keynote lectures on sport and exercise related topics.

For further information

Academic News inspection copy requests

If you wish to arrange an appointment to discuss our latest texts and your course needs, or you would like to enquire about an inspection copy of any book featured in Academic News, please call Sian Partridge on 0113 255 5665 ext. 204 or e-mail sianp@hkeurope.com

Academic News August 2008

Welcome to the August issue of Academic News. This month is a BASES Special
We preview the forthcoming BASES Conference 2008 being held at Brunel University, West London in early September and invite you along to see us. We also take a look at research that suggests that the Alexander Technique brings relief to back pain sufferers. With the Beijing Olympics drawing to a close we pose the question, were the fears over air quality genuine or over hyped? And, as ever, we bring you the very latest information on the latest Human Kinetics titles.

Product of the month… Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Neuromechanics of Human Movement 4th Edition The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide 2nd Edition Come visit us at the BASES Conference 2008 An old cure for a modern malaise Italian Conference on Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity The effects of Beijing Smog – real or imagined? Careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics Academic News inspection copy requests Product of the month… Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Injury, Second Edition, presents clear, accessible explanations of the biomechanical principles of injury and how injuries affect the normal function of muscles, connective tissue and joints.Almost 10 years after the publication of the first edition, this much-needed second edition has been vastly improved. Packed with more than 400 illustrations, including graphs and anatomical art (nearly twice as many as in the previous edition), Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Injury, Second Edition, is an indispensable reference offering perspectives on and appreciation of the intricacies of injury mechanisms By providing an understanding of injury mechanisms in all body regions, this publication serves as a comprehensive resource to assist health professionals, researchers, and students with the proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries. PRICE: £40.00 (54.00 Euros) Read more about the book!

Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning

Now in its third edition, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most comprehensive reference available for strength and conditioning professionals. In this text, 30 expert contributors explore the scientific principles, concepts and theories of strength training and conditioning as well as their applications to athletic performance. Developed by the NSCA Certification Commission, the certifying agency of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning is the most-preferred preparation text for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam. The research-based approach, extensive exercise technique section and unbeatable accuracy of Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning make it the text readers have come to rely on for CSCS exam preparation. The third edition presents the most current strength training and conditioning research and applications in a logical format designed for increased retention of key concepts. The text is organised into five sections. The first three sections provide a theoretical framework for application in section 4, the programme design portion of the book. The final section offers practical strategies for administration and management of strength and conditioning facilities. PRICE: £45.00 (67.50 Euros) Read more about the book

Neuromechanics of Human Movement 4th Edition

Drawing on the disciplines of neurophysiology and physics, Neuromechanics of Human Movement, Fourth Edition, explores how the nervous system controls the actions of muscles to produce human motion in relation to biomechanical principles. This contemporary approach is much different from the traditional one, which focuses solely on mechanics and does not consider the role of the sensory system in the control of human movement.Neuromechanics of Human Movement, Fourth Edition, provides a scientific foundation to the study of human movement. The content is visually reinforced with more than 750 illustrations, many of which are new or upgraded from the previous edition and include specific illustrations of the neuromechanics involved in sport and rehabilitation movements. Finally, the text contains more than 1,500 updated references and suggested reading lists for each chapter. To encourage a comprehensive learning experience, this updated edition follows a logical progression where each part builds on the material from the previous section. Once readers have grasped the basic laws of motion, the text continues by considering the essential neurophysiological concepts that help to explain movement produced by the nervous system and muscle. Finally the text concludes by describing the ways in which the motor system adapts to various types of physical stress. PRICE: £44.50 (60.10 Euros) Read more about the book

The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide 2nd Edition

The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide, Second Edition, is the foremost reference for comprehensive patient assessment. Conveniently packaged and competitively priced, it provides techniques for accurate patient assessment and functional information about normal and abnormal static and dynamic motions. This second edition has a smaller format, streamlined layout, and lay-flat binding to make it an even more practical addition to your collection. Like the previous edition, the text takes a regional approach but now also includes material on the upper cervical spine, pelvis and sacroiliac joint, and information on the assessment of peripheral nerve injury and treatment techniques (adverse neurodynamics). The streamlined organisation of The Clinical Orthopedic Assessment Guide, Second Edition, makes it simple to find the information you need. The book flows through a regional presentation of clinical assessments and functional tests (including 40 new tests that were not featured in the first edition), a section on gait and posture, and a new section on adverse neurodynamics. The regional sections are further broken down into specific joints and each joint-specific chapter follows a common layout so you can easily find exactly what you need. Additionally, a suggested examination sequence for the history, test and measures is provided for each peripheral and spinal joint. Many of the tests are also accompanied with sensitivity and specificity values to help determine test utility. PRICE: £26.00 (35.10 Euros) Read more about the book

Come visit us at the BASES Conference 2008

The British Association of Sport and Education (BASES) annual Conference and Exhibition is being held this year at Brunel University, West London between Tuesday 2nd and Thursday 4th September. Delegates to the Conference can take advantage of a packed programme of events and presentations covering a wide range of relevant topics presented by leading experts in their fields. Running in conjunction with the Conference is an Exhibition. Located in the Indoor Athletics Centre, it is here that the Human Kinetics display will be located. It is always gratifying to meet our customers face to face and to hear their views and opinions on both our existing products and how we might expand our ranges in the future. In addition to catching up with the latest titles on offer, visitors can also take advantage of a generous 25% discount offer to purchase books directly off the stand. We look forward to seeing you there. Find out more

An old cure for a modern malaise

A method of relaxation developed more than 100 years ago can help ease chronic back pain, researchers say. The Alexander Technique, formulated by an Australian actor after he lost his voice, has been proved to be effective in clinical trials. A study of almost 600 patients suffering chronic or recurrent back pain found significant improvements after a year among those having lessons in the Alexander Technique. They spent just three days in pain each month, compared with 21 days for those getting normal NHS care, with a short course of six lessons, combined with exercise, producing almost as much benefit as a full regime of 24. The technique has been taught in the UK since 1904, but until now there has been no thorough investigation into its long-term effectiveness and doctors have complained of the lack of evidence to support it. In the latest study, published online in the British Medical Journal, a team from Southampton and Bristol Universities recruited 579 patients with chronic or recurring back pain from 64 GP areas in the south and west of England. Daily Mail Read the whole article

Italian Conference on Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity

A conference aimed at starting a ‘Prevention Public Institutional Sports System in Italy’ is to be held in Castagnero, Verona in early November. It will take as its main topic ‘Cancer and Innovative Physical Activity in the primary prevention and after the L. Hayflicks Limit’. The main conference speakers will include Susan D Carter (Denver, USA), J. Modenese, Sport Counsellor and G. Bovo with P.E. Prampero (Udine). For further information go to http://digilander.libero.it/bovoginetto/ (Please note this site is in Italian) or email: bovoginetto@yahoo.it Find out more

The effects of Beijing Smog – real or imagined?

With the Beijing Olympics drawing to a successful close, fears that the air quality in Beijing would seriously affect the performance of competitors seem to have been largely unfounded as world and national records have fallen like dominoes. But were the warnings of serious health problems over hyped or did the organisers just get lucky? There certainly seemed to be a degree of hysteria in the media about the subject and who can forget the images of American swimmers arriving in Beijing wearing face masks? But the concerns raised by sports and health professionals around the world were genuine enough and had it not been for a combination of extreme measures taken by the Chinese authorities and favourable weather conditions then things might have been very different. However, once the spotlight of world attention moves away from the Olympics, will there be a lasting improvement in air quality for the ordinary citizens of Beijing or will it once again become the world’s most polluted city? We would appreciate your comments on any aspect of this article and we will try and publish a selection of them in the next edition. Send them to grahams@hkeurope.com

Careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics

A reminder that The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) has published a new and fully updated edition of A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences. The free, downloadable guide for prospective and current sport and exercise science students has been written in association with Human Kinetics, the leading information provider in the physical activity field. Complete with useful websites and practical information, this easy-to-read guide will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about careers in sport and exercise science, helping students on the journey to achieving their ideal job. The BASES A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences is free to download from the BASES website. For further information click here

Academic News inspection copy requests

If you wish to arrange an appointment to discuss our latest texts and your course needs, or you would like to enquire about an inspection copy of any book featured in Academic News, please call Sian Partridge on 0113 255 5665 ext. 204 or e-mail sianp@hkeurope.com

Academic News from humankinetics.com June 08

 
Welcome to the June issue of Academic
News.

As the summer is in full swing we’d like to invite you to join us at ECSS in Estoril, as well as bringing you news of the eagerly anticipated Back Stability 2nd Edition and two great new psychology texts.

This months Academic News features:

Product of the month…

Updated and revised text examines future advances in sport psychology

Use mental training to help athletes achieve excellence in sport and life

New careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics

Experience sport science by the sea at ECSS Estoril

Diabetes cases could reach 4m by 2025

 

Product of the month…

As a result of modern living, prolonged sitting and poor posture mean that back pain is now a common problem that most people will experience at some time in their life. Back Stability: Integrating Science and Therapy, Second Edition, addresses this modern day malady by combining research from around the world in the areas of anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics, exercise physiology and motor skill training, to bring you the definitive guide to back care.Author Christopher Norris is a physiotherapist, exercise professional and has been a teacher for more than 30 years. In this fantastic book he shares his practical knowledge to help you recognise and assess inappropriate movement patterns – whether caused by injury or simple day-to-day activity – and use a process of clinical decision making, to determine which exercises to use in developing effective back care programmes for clients and patients.This updated more user friendly second edition, which features a further 33 new exercises as well as larger text and photography to make it even more accessible, is more than just another sequence of back exercises. This text provides a theoretical foundation that will guide you in selecting the most effective exercises for each client to integrate them into a complete programme and offer the best possible care in back health.PRICE:£27.50 (41.25 Euros)Read more about the book!

Updated and revised text examines future advances in sport psychology

Advances in Sport Psychology, Third Edition, offers a view of the latest research in the field of sport psychology. The text is written by 34 of the field’s most prolific researchers and scholars, whose contributors extend the boundaries that have defined the field and provide a clear direction for future research. The fantastic third edition of this book has been completely revised to reflect the advances that have occurred in the field within the past several years. The text provides a comprehensive and up-to-date review of the major issues that are of current research interest in sport psychology, while challenging researchers to examine the factors that keep this discipline growing. Each chapter in the book includes a definition of terms, an explanation of the chapter’s scope and an outline of the sections. The author then provides a review of the available research and theory on the chapter’s main topic, analyses the state of knowledge in the area and devotes significant space to future research directions. Advances in Sport Psychology also includes the following features: Four new chapters on qualitative research methods, achievement goal theories, self-confidence and family and peer influences Significant revisions of the second-edition chapters, along with more concise overviews of individual topics An analysis and synthesis of the state of knowledge for each topic and a discussion of future research directions.   Advances in Sport Psychology offers a new and thorough understanding of where sport psychology has been, where it is now and where it is going. PRICE: £39.00 (58.50 Euros) Read more about the book!

Use mental training to help athletes achieve excellence in sport and life

Sport Psychology for Coaches is aimed at helping you understand the mental side of sport and how athletes act, think and feel when they practice and compete. The book also provides critical information that you can use to help athletes develop the mental training tools and skills necessary to enhance their mental toughness and achieve excellence in sport and life. Through this book you will see how assisting your athletes in developing mental skills such as motivation, energy management, focus, stress management and self-confidence leads to increased enjoyment, improved life skills and enhanced performance. The easy-to-follow format of the text includes learning objectives that introduce each chapter, sidebars illustrating sport-specific applications of key concepts and principles, chapter summaries organised by content and sequence, key terms, chapter review questions, a comprehensive glossary and other useful resources to help you implement mental training programmes for athletes. Written primarily for secondary school coaches, Sport Psychology for Coaches is a practical, easy-to-use resource reflecting the two authors’ combined 45 years of teaching, coaching, researching and consulting experience. PRICE: £19.50 ( 29.25 Euros) Read more about the book!

 

New careers guide from BASES and Human Kinetics

The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) have published a new and fully updated edition of A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences. The free, downloadable guide for prospective and current sport and exercise science students has been written in association with Human Kinetics, the leading information provider in the physical activity field. BASES are the recognised UK professional body for promoting sport and exercise sciences in the UK. Founded in 1984, BASES represent sport and exercise sciences nationally and internationally. With sport and exercise science fast becoming one of the most popular subjects to study at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, this careers guide has been created to help students shape their future career paths, with information on the following: Important points to consider when choosing a sport and exercise science course at both school, college, undergraduate and postgraduate level, Funding for postgraduate courses, Common career paths that sport and exercise science graduates may follow, Information on how to find a job, A realistic overview of each of the careers, and Profiles written by graduates to give an insight into what students need to know in order to get their dream job.   Complete with useful websites and practical information, this easy-to-read guide will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about careers in sport and exercise science, helping students on the journey to achieving their ideal job. The BASES A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences is free to download from the BASES website www.bases.org.uk/newsite/studentcareers.asp                  Complete with useful websites and practical information, this easy-to-read guide will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about careers in sport and exercise science, helping students on the journey to achieving their ideal job.The BASES A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences is free to download from the BASES website www.bases.org.uk/newsite/studentcareers.asp

 

Experience sport science by the sea at ECSS Estoril

The ECSS Estoril’ 08 Congress, organised by the Faculty of Human Kinetics, at the Technical University of Lisbon (FMH), will take place at the Estoril Congress Centre, Portugal, from 9th to 12th July 2008. The scientific programme will offer a broad and interdisciplinary spectrum of current research work in sport science. Internationally well-known scientists will present their keynotes and colleagues from all over the world will discuss their scientific findings in oral or poster presentations. In addition to the outstanding scientific work, the programmed social activities will provide many opportunities to make friends, to enjoy Portuguese hospitality and enjoy what summer has to offer on this wonderful coast. Please visit www.ecss-congress.eu for more information on the congress.

 

Diabetes cases could reach 4m by 2025

More than 4 million Britons will have diabetes by 2025, a health charity warns today as the government expands its “healthy towns” initiative, aimed at tackling the national problem of obesity.Unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise will lead to a “diabetes explosion” in the coming decades, according to Diabetes UK, which suggests there will be a 46% rise in cases compared with current figures.The expected rapid increase is linked to the growing number of overweight and obese people, a section of the public carrying a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes sufferers can face serious complications such as heart and kidney diseases, blindness, and amputation.In his response to Diabetes Week, the health minister Ben Bradshaw will today open up the bidding for local authorities to submit applications for £30m of grants over the next three years. Plans for the “healthy town” project include encouraging the creation of more cycle lanes, walk to work and school schemes, and healthy food. Towns will be able to bid for up to £5m, if they have already shown a commitment to a more healthy environment.The initiative is part of a larger strategy announced in January and aimed at cutting obesity. In a statement, Bradshaw said: “The core of the problem is simple – we eat too much and we do too little exercise. The solution is more complex.” But he acknowledged that it was hard to “avoid obesity in the modern world”.The Guardian, 9 June 2008 Read more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UKPE Newsletter June 2008

Welcome to the June issue of the UKPE newsletter!

As exams are in full swing and students start thinking about the future, Human Kinetics and BASES are proud to announce the launch of the FREE Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences. You’ll also find stories on obesity, UK government initiatives and the largest school sport event ever!

In the UKPE Newsletter this month…
	Product of the month… Learn how to use technology to increase physical activity Help your pupils bounce their way to fun and fitness New career guide from BASES and Human Kinetics Largest school sport event in history Protective parents deny children the chance to get on their bikes Government gives green light to National Sports Skills Academy Exercise ‘does not make obese children slim’ Design your own play space: Ministers launch website to get kids’ views on play Obesity crisis ‘will lead to children having their stomachs stapled’   Product of the month… Dance, like every other human experience, is affected by globalisation. The changes that take place through globalisation often produce new and startling forms of art, and nowhere is this more evident than in dance. Globalisation has opened new possibilities for appreciating and recognising the amazing range of human bodied expression, bringing about an exciting expansion of the meaning of dance.Dance in a World of Change: Reflections on Globalization and Cultural Difference presents a range of international perspectives on dance pedagogy, the body, performance and dance and culture. The text expands the discourse of dance that connects it to the critical, political, moral and aesthetic dimensions of contemporary society, and it explores how globalisation is influencing and shaping the future of dance.The contributing writers hail from around the world: South Africa, Brazil, Croatia, Ireland, Canada, Taiwan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Holland, Jamaica and the United States. They bring their distinguished records as dance educators, choreographers, critics and scholars to this book as they address: A form of human empowerment or cultural resistance; A means of recognising diverse cultural experience and communicating common humanity; An expression of social conflict, injustice, violence and marginalisation; and An educational process that transcends the particular and encompasses commonality.   Dance in a World of Change is a catalyst for new thinking about dance among teachers, choreographers and scholars in the field. Readers will experience the passion and excitement of the contributing writers, who define the connections that help form a global community. PRICE: £19.50 (29.25 Euros) Read more about the book!                                       Learn how to use technology to increase physical activity It’s widely accepted that the increased use of technology, such as TV and computers, has led to a reduction in physical activity. Nowadays fewer children choose to go on a bike ride or play in the park, but prefer to stay in and play their favourite computer game. Physical Education Technology Playbook is a book which shows how to use technology to increase physical activity, by providing many activities that promote learning and physical activity through the integration of technology. Given that technology is now a permanent part of the teaching and learning process, teachers have a responsibility to use technologies that enhance pupil learning and increase teacher efficiency. Physical Education Technology Playbook will help future and current teachers: Use technology to assess physical fitness, monitor pupil progress towards personal goals, refine motor skills, comprehend new concepts and increase enjoyment of physical activity; Select from numerous activities that promote learning and healthy physical activity choices through the integration of technology; Draw on technologies that enhance learning and increase teacher efficiency; and Build professional portfolios through activities that help teachers immediately.   The book comes with a free companion website which contains editable modules, as well as adaptable lesson plans featuring technology that teachers can use in the classroom with accompanying handouts for pupils. With Physical Education Technology Playbook, teachers will learn to use technology to understand and promote key concepts related to physical activity, and how to teach pupils to make healthy choices. PRICE: £17.00 (25.50 Euros) Read more about the book!                                                              Help your pupils bounce their way to fun and fitness   The benefits of using stability balls are well documented. They are particularly useful for exercising the core abdominal and back muscles and for helping balance. Stability balls have been widely used in physical therapy and adult fitness, but few realise that they are also a great resource for those who work with children. In Having a Ball: Stability Ball Games author John Byl explains how to get kids bouncing, laughing, moving and having great fun – all as they improve their fitness skills. Having a Ball features: 73 stability ball games, with variations, that teach balance and co-ordination; A great variety of challenges, races, relays and team games for all participants; A game finder that helps you quickly find the right activity for your group; and Games that work for youths in fitness centres and schools. The book incorporates several different games into its seven chapters. There are games for partners, individuals or groups, including chase games, games for larger groups and activities that pit two teams against each other. Whether you’re using these games in a fitness centre, youth club or school, you can be sure everyone involved will be having a ball! PRICE: £11.00 (14.85 Euros) Read more about the book! New career guide from BASES and Human Kinetics   Do your pupils want to work in sport or exercise? Not sure what careers are available, what’s involved and what qualifications are required? The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) have published a new and fully updated edition of their career guide, A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences. The free, downloadable guide for prospective and current sport and exercise science students has been written in association with Human Kinetics, the leading information provider in the physical activity field. BASES are the recognised UK professional body for promoting sport and exercise sciences in the UK. Founded in 1984, BASES represent sport and exercise sciences nationally and internationally. With sport and exercise science fast becoming one of the most popular subjects to study at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, this career guide has been created to help students shape their future career paths, with information on the following: Important points to consider when choosing a sport and exercise science course at school, college, undergraduate and postgraduate level, Funding for postgraduate courses, Common career paths that sport and exercise science graduates may follow, Information on how to find a job, A realistic overview of each of the careers and; Profiles written by graduates to give an insight into what students need to know in order to get their dream job. Complete with useful websites and practical information, this easy-to-read guide will provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about careers in sport and exercise science, helping students on the journey to achieving their dream job. The BASES A Guide to Careers in Sport and Exercise Sciences is free to download from the BASES website www.bases.org.uk/newsite/studentcareers.asp Largest school sport event in history   Schools across England are being called upon by the Prime Minister and Dame Kelly Holmes to take part in the first ever National School Sport Week. Their aim is to engage over three million school children, the largest number ever to get involved in PE and school sport at any one time. National School Sport Week, a government initiative managed by the Youth Sport Trust and supported by Norwich Union, is set to kick off on Monday 30 June and will be a week-long celebration of PE and school sport. The initiative was announced in February by the Prime Minister and Dame Kelly Holmes, the National School Sport Champion, at the Youth Sport Trust’s Sports Colleges Conference. The National School Sport Week will be shaped by schools and pupils themselves, who have been set the task of coming up with the most innovative activity during the week. Activity during the week will include: Festivals of Sport (including TOP Sportsability festivals, multi-skill and multi-sport festivals). Young Leaders have been trained through TOP Link (within Step into Sport) to plan and run these festivals for primary aged young people. Intra school competition – led by School Sport Co- ordinators and supported by young leaders Inter school competition – led and organised by existing Competition Managers Local activity – innovative and creative ideas organised at a local level The Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “We need to put school sport back where it belongs – playing a central role in the school day. National School Sport Week is a great opportunity to do just that and I’m confident that it will help get young people fit and physically healthy.” Youth Sport Trust, May 14th 2008 Read the full story… Protective parents deny children the chance to get on their bikes   Parents are denying their children the freedom they enjoyed in their own youth to take to the roads on a bicycle. The majority of parents (81 per cent) ban their children from cycling independently or restrict them to circuits of their immediate road or neighbourhood streets, a survey suggests. While three quarters of children today are allowed to cycle for recreation at the weekend or after school, only one in five is allowed to use a bike to get around during the week. Only 4 per cent of children actually cycle to school regularly, according to the Populus survey of more than 1,000 parents for Cycling England, an agency created to promote cycling. This is in contrast to parents’ experiences of cycling as children. More than half (56 per cent) say that they used their bike as regular transport when they were school-age. The survey also found that the most common age at which parents were able to cycle on the roads was 10 – today it has gone up to 12. The main reason that parents gave for not allowing their child to cycle on the roads was safety (36 per cent), yet only 3 per cent said that they knew someone who had suffered an accident. Two thirds of parents felt that their child did not have the confidence and skills to ride on the road and about half thought that their child would benefit from cycling training. Phillip Darnton, chairman of Cycling England, said that today’s parents were creating a generation of “cul- de-sac kids”, with tough limits on when, where and how they may cycle. The Times, May 6th 2008 Read the full story… Government gives green light to National Sports Skills Academy   The Government has made a significant commitment to improving skills by giving the go ahead to a National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure. This move promises to improve the standard of coaching across England, giving athletes training towards the 2012 Games an even better chance of claiming a place on the medals podium. Led by employers in the sport and leisure sector and coordinated by SkillsActive – the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for active leisure and learning – the skills academy will open later this year and will train 85,000 new entrants, existing staff and volunteers every year by 2013. Minister for Skills, David Lammy said: “For the UK to perform at its best in 2012, we need to make a sustained investment in coaching skills, giving our athletes the very best support and training to help them win. However, it’s not just about winning Olympic medals. “I want to ensure that every young sportsperson, at every level of competition, is given the opportunity to reach their full potential. This new skills academy for the sports and leisure industry will ensure world class training throughout the nation.” 24dash.com, May 7th 2008 Read the full story… Exercise ‘does not make obese children slim’   Encouraging overweight children to exercise has no impact on weight loss and they should be encouraged instead to eat more healthily, according to new research. The study claims that obese children are inactive because of their weight, and not fat because they are inactive. The researchers argue that efforts to reduce the childhood obesity epidemic should focus on healthy eating and cutting calorie consumption, rather than getting children to engage in sports and games. The research, presented at the European Congress on Obesity, studied 300 children over five years. It found that being overweight influences activity more than activity influences being overweight, and argues that this is why attempts to promote physical activity as a way of combating childhood obesity have failed. The Telegraph, May 26th 2008 Read the full story… Design your own play space: Ministers launch website to get kids’ views on play   Ministers have launched a fun, interactive website and poster campaign to encourage children to give their views on play and play areas as part of the first ever national consultation on children’s play. The website and posters give children the chance to design their own play space using playground favourites such as see-saws and round-a-bouts mixed with more modern structures such as wooden climbing walls. On the website children can choose from a variety of settings to reflect their local areas, with a choice of urban, rural or sports fields on which to build their ideal play area. In order to add equipment to their play space children must answer a series of questions around the idea of play. The more questions answered the more points they earn to spend on designing their own play space. The views of children and young people will play a crucial part in this consultation, and it is important that as many as possible are able to contribute their ideas. This short, online activity is aimed at 8 to 13 year olds, will ensure that children can give their views while at the same time being creative and having fun. All the consultation questions have been drafted using child-friendly language. Department for Children, Schools and Families, May 20th 2008 Read the full story… Obesity crisis ‘will lead to children having their stomachs stapled’   Primary school children could soon be undergoing stomach-stapling surgery as Britain’s obesity epidemic worsens, a senior medical director has warned. Steve Ryan, of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, said “significant numbers” of children aged two and three were being classed as obese. Conditions normally seen in middle age, such as Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea, were increasingly common among teenagers, he warned. Mr Ryan said it is was “almost certain” that surgeons will have to staple children’s stomachs within a few years. At present, weight-loss surgery is only performed on adults when all other methods have failed. Although the procedure can lead to complications, Dr Ryan believes that for some children it will prove the best option. “In the not too distant future I think we will be starting to consider surgery on children who are grossly overweight,” he said. “In adults it is one of the things that can be very effective indeed, but it is a drastic step. ” The Telegraph, May 16th 2008 Read the full story..