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IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Education and Approaches".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 September 2023) | Viewed by 17996

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Tonis

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Guest Editor

USH Pro Business, Spiru Haret University, 030167 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: e-learning; XR; management and marketing in education; gaming; simulation; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Vassilis Barkoukis

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Guest Editor

Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: social–cognitive determinants of sport-physical activity and physical education-related behaviors; behavior change interventions; integrity in sport; physical activity promotion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Rareș Stănescu

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Guest Editor

National University of Physical Education and Sports, 060057 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: sport performance; IT in sport training; tennis high performance; sport management

Prof. Dr. Antonio Sánchez-Pato

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Guest Editor

Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), 26006 La Rioja, Spain
Interests: sport values; dual career; esports; gamification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, e-learning it is not only a trend, but a necessity. Online videos, synchronous meeting, asynchronous messaging and studying, augmented reality books, and virtual reality (VR) simulations are useful resources in the e-learning process of physical education, sports, and kinesitherapy.

Special attention is oriented to VR simulations proven to be effective solutions in times of crisis (such as the that caused by the COVID-19 pandemic) as additional training for sport performing activities (Moreno,2020) or to different serious physical games assisted by computer (Stănescu, Croitoru, Stanislovaitiene, 2019).

At the same time, VR represents one of the main challenges for coaches, trainers, and kinesitherapists. In VR, like in the real world, the student can acquire information from multiple senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). He can perceive the dynamics, the force, the trajectory, the impulse, the speed of the ball, the G (gravitational attraction), and the interaction with the object such as collision, wise answers, demonstration on request, etc. The most advanced VR applications collect information in real time from the real environment and change actions due to machine learning technology (Ma, 2020). The user can manipulate objects and characters in the virtual environment through a 3D interactive device. There is a continuous interaction between user and VR characters (Bastug, 2017). To be able to collect all the information and offer feedback the VR system is compound of five modules: the testing module, the feedback module, the sensor module, the controller module, and the 3D model module. The interaction between these modules makes the connection with the virtual environment and real world possible, at the same time activating the 3D modelling module that will generate the objects/characters. Thus, the user is the beneficiary of the interactive sensing experience (Yanrong Yang, 2018).

VR is very useful and cost efficient in sportive medical rehabilitation, too. It offers repeated training with constant feedback while mitigating the risk of being injured. For disabled people, practicing physical rehabilitation in VR is fun, and offers them higher motivation, comfort, and security (Kang, 2019, Kim, 2017). Injured sportive rehabilitation has seen a great advantage brought by VR technology because the sportive has an avatar, which increases his motivation and self-esteem, and is stimulated at the same time for all senses: visual with VR glasses; tactile and kinesthetic with sensors on his skin, muscles, and joints acquiring haptic information; the sounds let the sportive appreciate where the ball is, etc.

This call has the aim to gather innovative insights and research that provide professors and students with ICT experiences during this (post) pandemic time. Contributors might share good practices of using IoT, VR, AR, MOOCs, etc. in physical education, sports, or physiotherapy.

References:

Ma, Z.; Wang, F.; Liu, S. Feasibility Analysis of VR Technology in Basketball Training. IEEE Access. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3019810.
Moreno, F.C.; González-Serrano, M.H.; Javier Fombona, J.; García-Tascón, M. The irruption of technology in Physical Education: A General Bibliometric Analysis with a Focus on Virtual and Augmented Reality. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2728.
Bastug E.; Bennis M.; Medard M. et al. Toward Interconnected Virtual Reality: Opportunities, Challenges, and Enablers. IEEE Commun. Mag. 2017, 55, 110–117.
Fazio, A.; Isidori, E.; Technology-enhanced Learning and CLIL for Physical Education. In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference eLearning and Software for Education, Vol. III, 2019.
Kang, S.; Kang, S. The Study on the Application of Virtual Reality in Adapted Physical Education. Cluster Comput 2019, 22, 2351–2355. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10586-018-2254-4.
Kim, S.I.; Ahn, J.H.; Yoo, B.E.; Lee, S.Y.; Choi, M.J.: Technical Impact Assessment Report—Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies. Ministry of Science and ICT (2017).
Stănescu, M.; Croitoru, D.; Stanislovaitiene, J.; Physical Exercises and Computer-Based Games: from Playground to Serious Games and Exergames. The 15th International Conference eLearning and Software for Education, Vol. III, 2019.
Yang, Y. The Innovation of College Physical Training Based on Computer Virtual Reality Technology. Discret. Math. Sci. Cryptogr. 2018, 21, 1275–1280. https://doi.org/10.1080/09720529.2018.1526400.

Dr. Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Tonis
Dr. Vassilis Barkoukis
Dr. Rareș Stănescu
Prof. Dr. Antonio Sánchez-Pato
Guest Editors

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Keywords

physical education and sports (PES)
physiotherapy
IoT
MOOCs
VR
AR

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 823 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Motor Coordination and Its Importance in Practicing Performance Movement

by Anca Iorga, Anca Jianu, Mircea Gheorghiu, Bogdana Darie Crețu and Irina-Anca Eremia

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5812; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075812 - 27 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1636

Abstract

The training of good motor coordination optimizes the motor skills, and these, over time, lead to the improvement of the motor skills specific to the practiced movement. The purpose of this study was to assess the capacity and speed of learning coordinated movements in the context of working in an online system. At the same time, we set out to evaluate the level of motor coordination achieved through training using the eLearning platform Hudl and the Teaching Games for Understanding approach. Thus, three groups of students were analyzed whose motor histories were different. The analysis of the three tested groups was performed in the first year of study and in the third year of study. The training programs have been adjusted/modified according to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, which has determined their application in the online system as well. The results of this study confirm that by assisting learning through computer programs, in the online system, these workouts can be effective. At the same time, the study shows us that, in addition to the natural evolution from childhood and adolescence, an advanced form of motor coordination appears, which is installed through the action of learning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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18 pages, 984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yoga, an Appurtenant Method to Improve the Sports Performance of Elite Romanian Athletes

by Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniș, Dan Gheorghe Paun, Veronica Mindrescu and Cristian Cătună

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4264; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054264 - 27 Feb 2023

Viewed by 3075

Abstract

Yoga is a very popular trendy sport all over the world. Since its establishment and promotion, yoga has mostly been practiced in social clubs and studios, often being performed during optional courses in colleges. Basic yoga instruction is generally absent in middle schools. This study investigated and assessed the viability of integrating yoga practice into the sports training program of elite Romanian athletes. The research methods used include documentation and data collection via an online survey in order to design a factor analysis with a structural equation model using SmartPLS software. The research assesses athletes’ opinions about the benefits of yoga practice and its impact on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The results highlight the need to integrate yoga classes into educational institutions. The research has demonstrated that Romanian athletes use yoga in the pre- and post-competition phases to increase their focus, balance, muscle, and joint elasticity, create a positive attitude toward victory, manage emotional and post-traumatic stress disorder, visualize their performance in competition, and see themselves as winners. Overall, yoga is a successful strategy to enhance sports training and medical rehabilitation for stress disorders and post-traumatic diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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16 pages, 795 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementing Modern Technology for Vital Sign Monitoring to Enhance Athletic Training and Sports Performance

by Răzvan-Sandu Enoiu, Iulia Găinariu and Veronica Mîndrescu

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2520; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032520 - 31 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1655

Abstract

(1) Background: Applying medical procedures to keep track of athletes’ metabolic health is a well-known behavior for increasing sports performance. This study’s primary goal was to examine whether implementing a health-screening routine using invasive and non-invasive methods in a mountain running training program can increase sports performance by obtaining a better rank in specific races. (2) Methods: Seven male mountain runners with good results at the international level participated in the research, which featured an initial and a final test. The initial test took place in March at the beginning of the competitive season, and the final test took place in September at the end of the annual training plan in 2021. The entire experiment used invasive tests, such as taking blood samples to perform blood biochemistry analysis, and non-invasive tests, such as mountain running races, determinations of VO₂max, EKGs, urine biochemistry and NeuroTracker tests. (3) Results: Comparing the initial test with the final one from a statistical point of view, a significant improvement was found in the final test regarding the obtained results in most tests and, most importantly, the occupied position in the final general rank (p = 0.005). The main variations after effort were decreased Ca⁺⁺ and increased Cl⁻, a low TGL level if the diet was inadequate, increased LDH and CPK strongly correlated with the skeletal muscle response, and only physiological changes were found in the EKG and urine summary. (4) Conclusions: The invasive and non-invasive tests applied in this study provided crucial information on the athletes’ health statuses, enabling the coach to adjust the training program in light of the findings in order to improve sports performance and avoid overexertion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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16 pages, 4045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circuit Football Training Customized for Young Players during and after the COVID Period

by Dan Gheorghe Păun, Gheorghe Grigore and Laurian Ioan Păun

Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16611; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416611 - 12 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1687

Abstract

Football was, is, and (perhaps) will always be the most widespread sport all over the world. High performance means hard work for all players, regardless of age. In this respect, training methods are adjusted to the needs of modern football, converging towards the successful formation of players with good technical tactical, physical, theoretical, and psychological levels. In the context of the research, we chose to use a program based on the circuit method, which would lead to the re-adaptation of junior football players to performance demands after the COVID-19 pandemic period (which was very difficult for sports in general). The circuit method is a suitable factor for the current trends in modern football. Our research showed that the circuit method was consistent with the specific goals of football training for 10–12 year olds. The method proposed for this study was not new, but it was applied for the first time to children and juniors, considering their age characteristics and the requirements of the modern world. Its implementation involved using a literature review, active observation, and practical methods. The exercises used in the study were designed in compliance with the specifics of both the age of 10–12 years and the game of football played at this level. The paper demonstrates that the circuit method enables teachers and coaches to achieve the football training goals intended for this age. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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10 pages, 289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact and Learner Experience of a Technology Ecosystem as an Approach to Healthy Lifestyles: Erasmus+ SUGAPAS Project

by Noelia González-Gálvez, Raquel Vaquero-Cristóbal, Adrián Mateo-Orcajada, Antonio Sánchez-Pato, Juan de Dios Bada-Jaime, Alejandro Leiva-Arcas and Juan Alfonso García-Roca

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15849; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315849 - 28 Nov 2022

Viewed by 977

Abstract

The promotion of lifestyle habits in all ages is essential for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases. The aim of this study was to develop, validate, and disseminate an ecosystem that favors effective education on physical activity, a healthy lifestyle, and healthy nutritional habits. The sample consisted of 258 Spanish volunteer students. The evaluation of Ecosystem SUGAPAS was composed of two online surveys: MOOC and game surveys. The result of the MOOC survey reported a score above three points in all the sections (users’ opinion of the organization: 3.89 ± 0.71, 4.06 ± 0.64, and 4.01 ± 0.64; impact of the course on their day-to-day life: 3.62 ± 0.94; content present values: 3.96 ± 0.63, 3.69 ± 0.75, and 3.62 ± 0.94; usability of the platform: 3.75 ± 0.77, 3.96 ± 0.68, 4.06 ± 0.77, and 3.75 ± 0.84; relevance for professional development: 3.96 ± 0.63; overall opinion: 3.77 ± 0.57 points). The responses to all sections of the game evaluation reported a score between three and four points. A SUGAPAS ecosystem that includes new technologies for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle was developed, validated, and disseminated among the population. The users’ opinion, the impact of the ecosystem on their personal and professional development, and the usability of the platforms created make this ecosystem valid for its implementation for the proposed purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

14 pages, 945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Multiplicative Effect Interaction between Outdoor Education Activities Based on the Sensory System

by Veronica Mindrescu, Gabriel Simion, Ioan Turcu, Cristian Catuna, Dan Gheorghe Paun and Florentina Nechita

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 11859; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141911859 - 21 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1352

Abstract

Background: The present paper initiates the introduction of physical education activities within the Transylvania University of Brașov, aiming at a new strategy. The purpose is identifying the level of knowledge and the level of perception regarding the extent to which outdoor activities are viewed and implemented, and the effects that the latter has on them by tracking certain variables of a sensory nature, comprised of visual, auditory, kinesthetic and digital areas. Methods: This research aims to analyze if the type of sensory channel is influenced by the type of sport and the environment (urban/rural) of that practiced sport. We also analyzed the benefits offered by different sports and if these benefits influence the type of activity. Data were collected using an online survey, a questionnaire, using a Likert scale, with subjects having to choose between multiple answers. In addition, data were allocated and reviewed based on a sample of 100 students who have the habit of practicing outdoor activities. Results: The results of the study significantly show that the objectives were met and as such it can be concluded that outdoor activities, from the point of view of perception systems, can be classified according to the method of ordering the rank of activities by the dominant kinesthetic sensory channel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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14 pages, 317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Gamified Strategies in Higher Education: Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and Contextual Variables

by Ana López-Martínez, Lourdes Meroño, María Cánovas-López, Antonio García-de-Alcaraz and Luis Manuel Martínez-Aranda

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 11014; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141711014 - 03 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2208

Abstract

The application of Information and Communication Technologies in the classroom encourages student learning by increasing their motivation and promoting collaborative teamwork. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences on intrinsic motivation of university students considering contextual variables when working specific contents through digital tools and virtual gamified strategies. Nine hundred and nineteen university students (18–21 years old) participated in the study. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed considering four different variables: gender, working language, subject nature and academic degree. The applications used were Kahoot and Vevox and student motivation was assessed through an adapted version to the university context of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) Questionnaire. A higher score for bachelor´s degree compared to vocational training for the dimensions interest-enjoyment and effort-importance, together with a lower level in tension-pressure were revealed. Only the effort dimension was different between genders, being higher for female. Practical subjects showed higher values in bachelor´s degree for interest, competence, effort, and lower scores concerning tension-pressure. Finally, the teaching in Spanish revealed better scores in all dimensions compared to English, especially when the subject nature is practical. In line with previous results, university students showed good levels of intrinsic motivation when virtual gamified tools were used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

14 pages, 949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Physical Education and Sports in Modern Society Supported by IoT—A Student Perspective

by Adin Marian Cojocaru, Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniș, Anca Jianu, Mihail Alexandru Dumangiu, Lygia Ulpiana Alexandrescu and Marilena Cojocaru

Sustainability 2022, 14(9), 5624; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095624 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3863

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in recent years and the massive presence of information technology generate one of the biggest challenges facing humanity, namely the technological challenge. In this context, educational technologies have a positive impact on the correct and effective teaching and learning of physical education and sports (PES), with a great positive impact on future sustainable higher education (HE). Thus, various innovative techniques could be of interest, such as the use of social networks and fitness sites, e-learning platforms, computer games, and telephone applications involving video analysis and age-specific images of students and the skills taught. This study aims to establish the main means used by technology, through which it can improve the teaching, learning, and practice of PES. This paper demonstrates the positive effects of technology on the PES field in modern society through a regression model, applied to data collected from 260 students from 2 Romanian PES Universities. The pedagogical and educational elements of our model also highlight the role of technology as a facilitator of knowledge, functioning as a tool that comes to the aid of specialists in the PES field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue IoT and Modern Technologies—Adequate Tools for Teaching and Practicing Physical Exercises in Time of Pandemic Crisis)

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