The question of how well motor skills transfer between contexts and environments is critical for water safety education. In particular, it remains unclear to what extent learning aquatic skills in a swimming pool supports performance in more variable, open water environments. We explored how skill transfer has been conceptualised, manipulated, and measured within water safety research. We anticipated that the water safety literature would be broad, methodologically diverse, and multidisciplinary. A scoping review, following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted and 69 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. Although all articles alluded to skill transfer, only 41% explicitly conceptualised the term, with many instead using related concepts such as learning effects or adaptation. The literature examined transfer across a variety of task and environmental contexts, often implying multiple dimensions of transfer; however, a shared definition of transfer is largely absent in the broader aquatic literature, and only 36% of studies measured the extent of transfer directly. These findings highlight substantial conceptual ambiguity and limited theoretical clarity surrounding skill transfer in water safety research. Informed by the reviewed literature, we propose a working definition of transfer in a water safety context as: The extent to which human behaviour can be adapted and learnt across different aquatic situations based on prior experiences, individual movement skills and the relative similarity between situations. We argue that future research should more deliberately manipulate and measure skill transfer to better understand how transferrable water safety skills can be developed to reduce drowning risk.

Pedagogical approaches such as Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP), under-pinned by Ecological Dynamics, create a learning environment that encourages exploration and adaptation. However, little is known about how PE teachers perceive their understanding of Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP). In this study, empirical work was undertaken to examine 200 Primary and Secondary School level Singapore PE teachers' perception of their understanding and enactment of NLP, focusing on the "What", "Why" and "How" of NLP. A multimethods approach, using quantitative survey data and qualitative open-ended survey questions revealed that teachers perceive themselves to possess substantial knowledge ("What") about the exploratory role associated with NLP, with a lesser understanding of the role of task simplification. With regards to the "Why" of NLP, the study underscores teachers' recognition of how multiple movement solutions can achieve the same outcome and the role of representative learning environments. However, concepts related to task simplification and empirical evidence appear to be less familiar to PE teachers. About the "How" of NLP, PE teachers indicated that constraints manipulation is something they can enact but are less familiar with how to support the acquisition of individualised movement solutions. The teachers also requested professional development programmes to transform their pedagogical practices.

Affordance perception is a forward-looking act of the opportunities of action offered by the environment and relative to individual capacities. This is exemplified by experienced rock climbers who must determine the task goal (use hold for support or facilitate movement) when balancing on one or both of their feet. The present study examined how the base of support (single and dual leg balance) and hold size affect an individual's ability to determine their maximum boundary of reach- and grasp-ability. The maximal boundary of reach-ability and grasp-ability was determined using a sliding assessment hold. Twenty participants (10 climbers and 10 non-climbers) provided verbal estimates of maximal reach to a big and a small hold while balancing on one or two feet. Perceptual accuracy differed depending on whether the objective was reach-ability or grasp-ability (p < 0.001). Neither standing on one or two feet, nor climbing expertise affected perceptual accuracy. The results suggest that the task goal (e.g., grasp-ability or reach-ability) affects the accuracy of perception of action boundaries.

Despite the popularity of infant swimming programs, no evidence exists to determine whether they influence infants’ judgements and behavior when confronted with bodies of water. In the current study we examined whether the total number of swimming sessions an infant had participated in predicted whether they avoided a body of water they could enter via an edge (n = 101 infants) or a slope (n = 77 infants). An initial regression analysis revealed no association between the number of sessions and avoidance of the water via either type of entry. However, a secondary analysis of infants who had participated in fewer or more than 10 sessions revealed a significant interaction between number of sessions and type of entry into the water. Infants who participated in more than 10 sessions were more likely to avoid the water if they could access it via an edge but significantly more likely to enter the water if they could access it via a slope. Because we tested the two groups of infants in different countries, further research is warranted to determine if cultural differences in child rearing practices or variations in the content and/or teaching of the swimming programs might explain these intriguing findings.

There has been an increase interest in knowing and enacting pedagogical approaches such as the Constraints-led Approach (CLA) and Nonlinear Pedagogy (NLP) which are underpinned by Ecological Dynamics in recent years among practitioners. While there seems to be a perceived uptake of such pedagogical approaches that encourages exploratory learning and the development of individualised movement solutions, there are still concerns on how these pedagogical approaches are enacted on the ground. In this paper, we the authors, as "pracademics", attempted to address some of the common concerns that we are aware of from our regular interactions with academics and practitioners. In brief, we highlighted some of the common challenges related to sense making concepts from Ecological Dynamics and building connections to practice. We stressed the need to invest time to think differently to create representative learning environment, rethink how assessment is to be done, finding a balance between theoretical jargon and practical application as well as intentionally situating coach development and support. We may not have all the answers, but we hope this paper could provide a useful starting point on how to apply Ecological Dynamics Theory to practice design.

Purpose: Following increased interest in physical literacy (PL), development of appropriate tools for assessment has become an important next step for its operationalization. To forward the development of such tools, the objective of this study was to build the foundations of the evaluation de la Litteratie Physique (ELIP), designed to help reduce existing tensions in approaches to PL assessment that may be resulting in a low uptake into applied settings. Methods: We followed two steps: (1) the development of the first version of ELIP by deploying a Delphi method (n = 30); and (2) the modification of items through cognitive interviews with emerging adults (n = 32). Results: The expert consensus highlighted four dimensions of PL to be assessed-physical; affective; cognitive; and social-with new perspectives, including a preference for broad motor tests over fitness. Conclusion: Results offer new insights into the assessment of emerging adults' PL, but ELIP still requires further work concerning validity, reliability, and sensitivity.

Despite the popularity of infant swimming programs, no evidence exists to determine whether they influence infants' judgments and behavior when confronted with bodies of water. We conducted two separate studies examining if the total number of swimming sessions an infant participated in predicted whether they avoided a body of water they could enter via an edge (Study 1-Water Cliff: n = 101 infants) or a slope (Study 2-Water Slope: n = 77 infants). The results revealed a significant interaction between number of sessions and type of entry into the water. Infants who participated in 10 or more sessions were more likely to avoid falling on the edge leading into the water but entered the water significantly more if they could access it via a slope. These findings suggest that while experience in baby swimming programs can promoted more adaptive behaviors on drop-offs leading into bodies of water, sloped entries may heighten drowning risks for young children with greater familiarity with water. Because we tested the two groups of infants in different countries, further research is warranted to determine if cultural differences in child rearing practices or variations in the content and/or teaching of the swimming programs might explain these intriguing findings.

This systematic review investigated the possible effects of exposing infants to formal activities in aquatic environments. A literature search of eight databases was concluded on 12 December 2022. Studies were eligible if they: (i) focused on 0–36 months of age infants, (ii) addressed the exposure of infants to formal aquatic activities, and (iii) compared the ‘same condition of aquatic exposure with the control’ or ‘before and after exposure’. The PRISMA protocol was used. Articles considered for inclusion (n = 18) were clustered in the health, development, and physiological outcome domains. The results show that research is focused on indoor activities, mainly in baby swimming programs and baby aquatic therapy interventions. Swimming and aquatic therapy practices are generally safe for babies’ health, and there are benefits to preterm and newborns exposed to aquatic therapy once the physiological parameters are maintained in normal and safe patterns. A positive effect is also suggested in general gross and fine motor skills, visual motion perception, cognitive flexibility, and response selection accuracy for infants who participated in aquatic programs. Further investigation with high-quality experimental designs is required to establish the effect of exposure of infants to formal aquatic activities (Systematic Review Registration: CRD42021248054).

In rock climbing, climbers use their arms to regulate their posture on the wall, which can lead to localised muscle fatigue. Evidence shows fatigue is the primary cause of falls, but little is known about how fatigue specifically affects climbing rhythm and hand movements. The present study examined climbing fluidity and hand movements on an indoor climbing wall before and after a specific fatiguing protocol. Seventeen climbers completed three repetitions of a challenging climbing route (21 on Ewbank scale) with different levels of localised arm fatigue. Climbers' movements were tracked using 3D motion capture, and their hand actions assessed using notational analysis. Seventy markers were used to create 15 rigid body segments and the participants' centre of mass. The global entropy index was calculated on the path of the participants' centre of mass. Climbers fell more often when fatigued, but there were no significant differences in hip jerk or global entropy index when fatigued. No significant differences were found between the number of exploratory or performatory hand movements with different amounts of fatigue. The results suggest that localised arm fatigue affects a climber's ability to prevent themselves from falling, but it does not specifically affect their fluidity.

Introduction: The assessment of children’s motor competence is an important concern as physical inactivity has been linked with poor movement quality and aspects of well-being such as low self-esteem. The General Movement Competence Assessment (GMCA) is a new instrument that was developed using active video gaming technology.Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the internal validity of the GMCA in a sample of 253 typically developing children (135 boys and 118 girls), aged 7–12 years old (9.9 ± 1.6 years). Further, a second-order confirmatory factor analysis examined how the four constructs fit onto the higher-order variable of movement competence.Results: Results revealed that the first-order four-construct model of the GMCA was a good fit (CFI 0.98; TLI 0.98; RMSEA 0.05). The second-order confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the four constructs loaded directly onto movement competence. It accounted for 95.44% of the variance which is approximately 20% more than the first-order model. The internal structure of the GMCA identified four constructs of movement competence (i.e., stability, object-control, locomotion and dexterity) based on the study sample.Discussion: Performance trends in the general movement competence assessment support empirical evidence that movement competence improves as children age. Results suggest that active video games have considerable potential to help assess general motor competency in the wider population. Future work may consider the sensitivity of motion-sensing technologies in detecting developmental changes over time.

IntroductionNonlinear Pedagogy (NP), underpinned by Ecological Dynamics, provides a suitable pedagogical approach for practitioners (e.g., Physical Educators, coaches) to encourage exploratory learning that is learner-centered even in Traditional Sporting Games (TSG) that could be represented by invasion or territorial-like games. NP involves the manipulation of constraints which form boundaries for interacting components to self-organize, facilitating the emergence of goal-directed behaviours. Key pedagogical principles relating to representativeness, manipulation of constraints, awareness of focus of attention instructions, task simplification and the functional role of noise can encourage exploratory learning that helps develop 21st century competencies. This is in contrast to a Linear Pedagogy (LP) approach that is more teacher-centered and focuses on repetition in practices to promote movement form consistency in enhancing the acquisition of movement skills. Little is known about the effectivity of NP in the learning and transfer of invasion games. The aims of this study were to: (a) determine the impact of NP on the teaching and learning of an invasion game in the Physical Education (PE) context; (b) examine the transferability of game skills to other games in the same game category (i.e., floorball as a territorial game in this study). Methods224 (between 12 to 13 years old) students underwent a 10-week intervention program to learn to play an invasion game (football) with either a NP or LP approach (i.e., repetitive and prescriptive drills). ResultsPerformance outcome data were measured during Pre, Post, Retention, Transfer test 1 (larger playing area) and Transfer test 2 (floorball). Significant improvements in several performance outcome and game play measures in football was observed for the NP condition. Fewer improvements in the same measures were found for the LP condition. DiscussionEvidence for transfer of learning for NP was not as strong as anticipated although there was still some potential for encouraging transfer of learning. The key findings from this study further challenge the "one-size fits all" philosophy in the teaching of PE. Both LP and NP approaches would have a role to play in supporting teaching and learning which could be context dependent.

Most learn-to-swim programmes are undertaken in one location (often a swimming pool), which is potentially less effective than learning across a range of aquatic places and contexts. Water safety education delivered in multiple environments may improve skill development and transfer. We investigated whether a combined pool and open water programme improves children’s knowledge and skills. Sixty-six children (7 – 11 years old, 34 males, 32 females) participated, of which 40 undertook a 5-day education intervention (two days in a pool, one day each at a harbour, beach, river) and 26 were controls. The skills taught and assessed were: continuous 5-minute swimming, floating and treading water, underwater swimming, and a water safety quiz. Skill competency was assessed in a harbour before, immediately after, and approximately one month after the education programme. The number of children in the education group demonstrating high competency increased after the intervention (i.e., quiz = +20%, swim = +22%, floating/treading water = +37%, underwater swim = +29%) Furthermore, performance of the skills was generally improved when combined and adapted in a self-rescue transfer activity. The control group also improved in 3 out of 4 of the tasks, however their knowledge (quiz) performance decreased. Our findings indicate that teaching children water safety in several aquatic environments improved skill competency and transfer. Water safety education should be undertaken in a range of representative environments to promote skill transfer and thereby reduce the risk of drowning in open water. Education providers should consider opportunities to extend pool-based programmes to include exposure to open water environments

Being able to tread water effectively can improve the likelihood of survival following accidental immersion. People tread water in various ways, ranging from rudimentary 'doggy-paddle' to more elaborate techniques like the eggbeater, but little is known about the energetic and cognitive requirements of treading water. We therefore aimed to measure the demands of treading water techniques for people of different experience levels. Three cohorts, comprising 21 adult water treading experts (water polo players), 15 intermediate swimmers and 16 inexperienced swimmers, treaded water for 3 min each using four different techniques while cognitive and energetic economy measures were taken. For inexperienced swimmers, the flutter kick and breaststroke patterns produced the lowest self-reported physical and task load (rating of perceived exertion, NASA task load index), while cognitive (probe reaction time), cardiac (heart rate) and metabolic (oxygen consumption) load did not differ between techniques. In contrast, for expert water treaders, both breaststroke and eggbeater patterns produced lower cognitive, cardiac and metabolic loads. For intermediate swimmers, breaststroke resulted in the lowest cardiac and metabolic loads, as well as self-reported task load. Probe reaction time was highest while performing the eggbeater technique, indicating that this technique was challenging to coordinate and cognitively demanding. While the energetic demands of antiphase kicking patterns (such as eggbeater in experts or flutter kick in beginners) may be similarly low, the symmetric coordination of upright breaststroke may explain why this pattern's cognitive economy was favourable for all groups. As the eggbeater can be challenging to perform for many people, an upright breaststroke technique is an adequate alternative to adopt in survival situations.

Drowning has been the cause of over 2.5 million preventable deaths in the past decade. Despite the fact that the majority of drownings occur in open water, assessment of water safety competency typically occurs in swimming pools. The assessment of water safety competency in open water environments brings with it a few difficulties, but also promises tremendous benefits. The aim of this position paper is to discuss the benefits and caveats of conducting assessments in open water environments as opposed to closed and controlled environments, and to provide recommendations for evidence-based practice. The first theoretical section discusses the effects of the environment and key variables (such as temperature and water movement) on various factors of assessment. These discussions are linked to the two perspectives of representative learning design (based on ecological dynamics) and information processing theory. The second section presents two pilot studies of relevance and provides practical implications for assessment of water safety competency. It seems that a combination of pool-based practice and open water education may be ideal in assessing aquatic skills competency. Assessment in open water presents clear benefits regarding validity, but often poses seemingly unsurmountable barriers, which providers may have reservations about in the absence of clear evidence. Hence this article provides a robust discussion about competency assessment and signals the practical importance of faithfully reproducing the environment in which skilled behavior is most relevant.

Drowning has been identified as the cause of over 2.5 million preventable deaths globally in the past decade. Lower- and middle-income countries in Asia have recorded the highest numbers of drowning worldwide and children seem particularly vulnerable. Drowning is a complex phenomenon informed by multiple interacting factors, and the majority of deaths occur in natural environments such as ponds, ditches, rivers and oceans. Any potential drowning prevention strategy should acknowledge the important relationships that are created between individuals and their environment in water safety education. In this article, we share how the ecological dynamics theoretical perspective can help inform our understanding of drowning prevention. First, we review recent drowning prevention recommendations provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). Next, we discuss how well WHO's recommendations align with the principles of ecological dynamics. It is acknowledged that in many Asian countries, there are considerable challenges to delivering WHO's drowning prevention interventions. Teaching children basic swimming, water safety and self-rescue skills remains the most practical means to prevent drowning. The relevant scale of analysis for understanding behaviour is the individual-environment relationship. Specifically, the relative fit between these components may dictate how well water safety skills are learnt. Considerations such as installing barriers and adequate supervision around water can be scaffolded alongside an understanding of affordances in the context of water safety. We conclude that water safety education informed by an ecological dynamics approach is an effective partnership to help tackle the drowning pandemic.

This study aimed to examine the influence of families and football academies on the pathway to football expertise of Brazilian players. Built on the 'contextualised skill acquisition research' framework, data were generated through the triangulation of three methods: contextual analysis; participant-observation, and; interviews, with the latter providing substantial information for the present study. Data were organised according to the mesosystemic context of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development, thematically analysed, and explained through the perspective of the framework of the ecological dynamics. The findings highlight how players navigate through their environment in relation to the social, emotional, psychological, and educational support they receive, as well as in relation to the clubs' supply of quality football training programmes. The findings provide the basis for practical recommendations to help clubs and their coaches in the task of developing and nurturing their human talent

Learning to swim in a swimming pool might not prepare water competence sufficiently for different aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of teaching children water safety knowledge and skills in open water environments (i.e., harbor, river, and surf). The aquatic knowledge and skills of 98 children (7-11 years old) were tested in a swimming pool before, immediately after, and three months after receiving a three-day intensive education program. At pre-test, typically fewer than 50% of children achieved a high level of water safety competence. After the program, competency in each of the six tasks assessed had increased with up to 80% of participants completing the tasks unassisted. Three-month retention of these skills was generally high (i.e., competency levels were either maintained or improved). A key challenge for future research will be to untangle the influences of maturation, order effects, and the open water education.

This study aimed to examine the influence of families and football academies on the pathway to football expertise of Brazilian players. Built on the ‘contextualised skill acquisition research’ framework, data were generated through the triangulation of three methods: contextual analysis; participant-observation, and; interviews, with the latter providing substantial information for the present study. Data were organised according to the mesosystemic context of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development, thematically analysed, and explained through the perspective of the framework of the ecological dynamics. The findings highlight how players navigate through their environment in relation to the social, emotional, psychological, and educational support they receive, as well as in relation to the clubs' supply of quality football training programmes. The findings provide the basis for practical recommendations to help clubs and their coaches in the task of developing and nurturing their human talent.

Drowning causes significant mortality and morbidity globally, and infants (0–4 years of age) are disproportionately impacted. In a groundbreaking approach to pediatric drowning prevention, ecological psychology has been used to investigate the relationship between infants’ perceptual–motor development and their behavior around bodies of water. In this review, we summarize recent research findings in the field of ecological psychology and apply these to the prevention of infant drowning. Studies have linked infants’ avoidance of falls into the water with locomotor experience and type of accessway into bodies of water. Through crawling experience, infants learn to perceive the risk of falling into water and start adapting their behavior to avoid drop-offs leading into water. Infants tend to enter deep water more when the access is via a slope than via a drop-off. We propose that ecological psychology can enhance infant drowning prevention interventions. The aim is to create an additional layer of protection, the perceptual information layer, in addition to existing strategies, such as supervision and barriers. This new protective layer can be a powerful tool to further highlight the risk of entering the water and reduce infant drowning-related mortality and morbidity.