Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

This paper examines the experience of a group of students conducting their intermediate teaching practicum while studying an English Teaching Program at a Chilean university. The main objective is to explore, from the student’s point of view, the factors which lead to their recognition as teachers during that practicum experience, despite their marginal structural position as pre-service teachers in the educational establishments. The study is based on the analysis of five semi structured interviews, following the conceptual apparatus offered by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. We argue that the main factor determining how pre-service teachers acquire capital, authority and recognition as teachers in their practicum classrooms is the negotiation of the asymmetrical power relations which emerges between the trainees and their mentor teachers (i.e., the actual classroom teachers).

The rehabilitation process is key for persons with disabilities and, within an ecological framework under a social approach, it seems reasonable to assume that adapted physical activity becomes a vital tool for holistic development in a human rights approach. The objective of this essay is to highlight adapted physical activity and to stress the fact that it becomes an important space for social expression when developing processes of rehabilitation and social inclusion, as well as in finding out what are the lines and recommendations to approach them. Two key factors are professional development, evidenced by adequate research processes, and the generation of networks that allow community work so that the approach is based on a social perspective. In conclusion, physical activity must be understood as a social determinant for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities that will thus lead to the development of plans and programs focused on the international guidelines for community-based rehabilitation within an ecological model.

The purpose of this study was to describe an anthropometric, aerobic and muscle power profile of young Costa Rican basketball players according to sex, play positions and age. The assessment was carried outa on 99 young players (43 women and 56 men; 18 guards, 51 forwards and 30 centers; 42 in the U16 category and 57 in the U18 category) from eight different teams. The sports experience of the players was 6.5 ± 3.1 years. The following parameters were assessed: height, weight, body mass index, skeletal muscle mass and body fat percentage, countermovement test (CMJ) and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level I. The main results showed significantly higher values in men than in women in terms of weight, height, skeletal muscle mass, distance covered in the yo-yo test, VO2max, height in CMJ and in flight time. Body fat percentage was higher in women than in men. Centers showed significantly higher height, weight and body fat percentage than other play positions. Guards and forwards covered more meters in the yo-yo test and showed higher VO2max than centers. No significant differences were found between the U16 and U18 categories in any variable. Regression models showed the influence of weight, body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass and age on VO2max and CMJ. In conclusion, these indicators varied according to the sex and play position of the players. Additionally, this information will be useful for processes of promotion, development and training design of youth basketball in Costa Rica.

The objective of the study was to compare the level of physical activity (PAL), sedentary lifestyle and physical self-concept in school students of both genders in the region of Araucanía (Chile) with and without Transitory Special Educational Needs (TSEN). The research has a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design and a compared descriptive scope. The assessment included 43 adolescents between 15-17 years old in the region of Araucanía, with and without TSEN. The team applied the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), the physical self-concept questionnaire (CAF) and the adolescent sedentary activity questionnaire (ASAQ). The main results showed that, as related to PAL, the majority of students without TSEN were situated in the medium level, while those with TSEN were situated in the lower level with significant differences between them. Concerning the sedentary lifestyle, both groups showed a highly sedentary behavior, without significant differences and with a 3415 minute average. For physical self-concept, no significant differences were observed in the comparison. The conclusion is that, while adolescents with TSEN showed a physical self-concept and sedentary behavior similar to adolescents without TSEN, their levels of physical activity were significantly lower, so that the role of the Physical Education teacher can be key in the modification of habits in physical activity and sports in adolescents with TSEN, as well as in the organization of a higher offer of inclusive sports or physical instances.

The objective of the study was to examine original scientific articles available in data bases for the past twenty-one years (2000-2021) concerning monitoring of anthropometry and physical fitness in young tennis players. A systematic review was carried out in three online data bases (PubMed, LILACS and Web of Science) from January, 2000 to May, 2021. Initially, 73 original articles were identified. After applying criteria of eligibility and exclusion, together with the procedure presented in the PRISMA flowchart, 14 articles were selected and were qualitatively analyzed. The results show the need for further research, mainly in South America and among women. However, it is important to point out that these studies offer anthropometric references very similar to those found in other regions in the world. On the other hand, anthropometry and performance in physical fitness tests show better indicators concerning chronological age, performance in a given modality (national ranking) and specific training. When genders were compared, significant differences were found in terms of anthropometry and physical fitness. Finally, both in women and in men, advanced maturity is associated with better performance in speed tests for movement, strength and muscle power. These data need to be considered in order to improve sports performance, detect talent and prevent injuries in adolescent tennis players.

Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) have been identified as a key factor in fostering active, healthy lifestyles throughout life. However, FMS findings among preschoolers are mixed. The objective of this study is to describe the categorization of the scores obtained in the FMS test, as well as to clarify the differences by sex and age. A cross-cutting design study was carried out with 145 preschool children (84 of them boys) of ages 4 to 6 (5.44 ± 0.58 years old) participating in a national program of the Ministry of Sports. FMS were measured by using the gross motor development test (second edition). For the category analysis of the FMS, the scores obtained in the test were converted to percentiles, presented through frequency tables. In order to analyze sex and age differences, U of Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis were used for those without normal distribution, and the Student t and one-way ANOVA analyses for variables with normal distribution. The main outcomes indicate that preschoolers mostly obtain scores above the ≥p50 percentile. Boys showed higher ≥p50 scores in locomotion skills, object control (p = 007) and total FMS than girls. Boys and girls showed higher ≥p50 scores with increase in age in locomotion skills (p = .002), object control (p <.001) and total FMS (p <.001). In conclusion, Chilean preschoolers show fair performance in FMS, and manifest significant differences by sex and age, mainly in object control.

Goalball is a collective Paralympic sport with oppositional characteristics but without invasion by the athletes that, despite requiring great physical condition in offensive and defensive actions, is also identified as a tactical sport, where the administration of technique in the various game situations determines success in competition. The objective of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the attack of the Chilean National Goalball League, according to type of shot and trajectory. Four Goalball matches of the final phase of a national tournament were filmed. For this, a digital camera was used behind an arch located in height. The matches were analyzed following the diagrams proposed by Morato et al. (2016) and Morato (2012). The front throw (FRO) was used the most (88.9%) with an effectiveness rate of 6.2%. Longer trajectories were made in short diagonals (DC) and parallel (PA) (31.3% and 23.2%, respectively). The FRO throw was directed in DC (34.5%) and PA (22.4%), while on the other hand, the spinning throws (GIR) were directed preferably in PA (30.4%) and DC (29.1%). The FRO throw was more effective in PA (10.6%), whereas the SP throw was more effective in the middle diagonal (DM) (12.5%). The lateral positions execute throws, preferably FRO, but in defense the central positions are protagonists. Throws are most effective when they are directed in PA and DC.

Performance analysis is a discipline that is closely related to the pedagogy of sports. The theoretical foundations that undergird methodological choices must be well established in order for a convergence to exist between evaluation instruments and the process of teaching and training. The objective of the present theoretical study was to present and discuss the importance and representativeness of social networks analysis in order to evaluate the performance in group sports. The main purpose of social networks analysis is to study the relationships among players, in order to identify possible causes and consequences of the events that took place during a match. Thus, the analysis of social networks works differently from traditional analyses, whose major focus is on the subject, or in notational analyses that are most commonly used and that look for the accumulation of frequency of the events that have occurred (e.g., goals scored, ball possession, finishing zones). Such an instrument of evaluation, theoretically positioned on an ecological approach, proves effective for the identification of interaction patterns in a group and for understanding the social artifices that help to understand performance in a team. Thus, teams come to be analyzed as social groups instead of isolated individuals. This study also presents the main practical applications of this evaluation instrument in different group sports such as soccer football, indoor soccer, handball, basketball and volleyball.

The objective of this research is three-fold: 1) to understand Para-athletes’ perceptions on accessibility regarding Santiago 2023 Parapan American games’ future venues, 2) to establish differences in perception due to the origin of the disability, and 3) document alignment, if any, with athletes with high support needs (AHSN). This research is a two-phased quantitative cross-sectional study, which at the first stage developed the “Para-athletes Perception on Accessibility Survey” (PPA-D) and, at the second stage, the survey was applied to 96 Chilean Para-athletes (77.8% men, mean age = 31.0 ± 11.6 years old). The test obtained a validation coefficient of = 0.96. Regarding the sample characteristics, 16.6% corresponded to participants with visual impairment, 35.1% were AHSN, 51.5% were linked to high-level competition, and 59.3% travelled on their own to their training sessions. A negative perception of accessibility was found, mainly concerning minibuses, elevators, and restroom spaces, affecting mostly AHSN with visual impairment (F1.101 = 14.01, p = .0003). We conclude that it is important to address gender, disability, and AHSN gaps to guarantee equitable participation under a framework of the law and social rights.

Quality of life (QOL) and physical activity are relevant aspects in the health of the population, and the latter has a positive impact on people with disabilities. For this reason, the objectives of this study were to compare the characteristics and identify the association between the domains of QOL perception between a group of people with brain injury who practice soccer, para-athletes (PD) and non-para-athletes with brain injury (NPD), as well as to determine if there are differences in the perception of QOL according to the different sports classes (FT1, FT2 and FT3). The study was carried out in Chile, where the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was applied to determine the QOL of participants. The results identified a positive and significant relationship between the different domains of QOL (p < .001, r = .44 - .67). In addition, a better perception of QoL was observed in the PDs (p < .001, TE = 1.18, large) compared to that reported by the NPD group. On the other hand, no significant differences between domains were obtained for the different sport classes in the PD group. These data reinforce the idea that sport practice influences social participation and perception of QoL in PD with brain injury. The joint development of the factors associated between health and socioemotional well-being could collaborate in the consolidation of sports practice and physical activity, which, in turn, are beneficial for people with disabilities, as proposed by the Sustainable Development Goals in their work agenda foreseen for the year 2030.