Visual and Media Literacy Within Athletic Training.

MEDT Assignment 7: Research on visual and media literacy.

July 18, 2016
By: Ryan T. Smith

Visual and Media Literacy Within Athletic Training.

Article 1:
The basic concept of the first article I chose, Restricted use of electronic media,
sleep, performance, and mood in high school athletes., is the restriction of media articles
for athletes to better their performance. The study was directed towards the evaluation of
athletes for four weeks with restricted use of electronic media such as social media and
other electronic media with the parameters of seeing how it affects their sleep, athletic
performance, cognitive performance, and mood in school after 11:00 pm. The methods
included the study of eighty-five students over a four-week period. They were split into
two groups, the intervention group consisting of 44 athletes and the control group
consisting of 41 athletes. The intervention group was instructed to not use any form of
electronic media after 11 pm and the control group was instructed to use electronic media
how they normally would. The results showed no improvement in the parameters of the
study after 11 pm. The good results from this study was the knowledge received of the
importance when designing future studies on sleep habits for this population.
There wasnt much to take away from this article on the correlation of electronic
media and athlete performance. The over-all results of this were very inconclusive
towards its topic. However, in my anecdotal opinion I have seen some negative effects of
electronic media after certain hours of the night but I cannot determine what hour this
occurs. I have seen decreased performance and cognitive function in athletes who have
told me they stayed up late watching YouTube or scrolling Facebook late at night. So I
can come to my own conclusion that there is a negative effect of late night electronic
media due to the lack of sleep, which our bodies need to recharge for from the days
activities and get ready for the following day.
Article 2:

Visual and Media Literacy Within Athletic Training.

This journal article is the general idea of the comparison of the media-ideal
gymnastic and track athlete. The article in question, A Comparison of the Media-Ideal
and Athletic Internalization Between Young Female Gymnasts and Track and Field
Sprinters, is an in depth look a female athletes and how the media perceives them. The
study was a comparison of the media-ideal and athletic internalization of gymnasts to
track and field sprinters. The methods of the study were a group of eighty-three female
track and field sprinters and fifty female gymnasts for participation. Questionnaires were
to primary source for research in this study. Three different questionnaires were used
within the study that focused on the bodies shape and the sociocultural attitudes towards
appearance. The results showed that there was no difference between the two groups in
the media-ideal internalization. However, there were differences in the athletic
internalization which means that gymnasts showed greater athletic internalization.
This research article dealt with female athletes and how the media perceives them.
In my own opinion, the media is very critical of female athletes and this study shows that
they are aware of how the media sees them. I also took from this study that gymnasts are
very critical of their own self-image. This study was eye opening of female athletes and
the media. Female athletes, especially gymnasts, are very aware of how the media
perceives them. They know that they are watched more closely than male athletes in
some aspects of the media.

Visual and Media Literacy Within Athletic Training.

Article 3:
In this journal article researches tried to determine which types of learning
preferences were best used for athletes. The article, Using Learning Preferences to
Improve Coaching and Athletic Performance, is was used to research which type of
learning was better for athletes whether it be kinesthetic, visual, or multimodal. The
visual aspect of the article stated that whether the athlete learns using shapes, patterns,
symbols, or animations they all are using the same aspects to learn. The method of this
study was to separate athletes into the different groups of learning: visual, kinesthetic,
auditory, read and write, and multiple modalities. The researchers found fifty athletes of
each learning type and ran them through an assortment of tests using the VARK
inventory. The results of the study showed that athletes tend to learn their sport using an
assortment of each type of learning preference. If the coaches used each learning
preference rather than depending on one style they saw a greater improvement in their
athletes ability to learn what the coaches were trying to teaching. But the biggest
preference was the kinesthetic style, having the athlete perform the task over and over to
insure repetition and muscle memory.
I actually learned quite a bit from this particular article. I took so much away from
this article that its hard for me to narrow it down. But the biggest finding I took away
from this article was that coaches must use a combination of all the learning types to get
the best out of their athletes. In my own experiences I have seen this be true many times.
With my athletes, I have seen them learn their sport better when they are coached in
multiple different ways than just one.

Visual and Media Literacy Within Athletic Training.

References:
Three research articles of visual and media literacy within athletic training:
1. Restricted use of electronic media, sleep, performance, and mood in high school athletesa randomized trial.
Harris, A., Gundersen, H., Mork-Anderson, P., Thun, E., Bjorvatn, B., & Pallesen, S.
(2015). Restricted use of electronic media, sleep, performance, and mood in high school
athletes- a randomized trial. Sleep Health, 1(4), 314-321.
2. A Comparison of the Media-Ideal and Athletic Internalization Between Young Female
Gymnasts and Track and Field Sprinters.
Fortes, L. D., Paes, S. T., Neves, C. M., Meireles, J. F., & Ferreira, M. E. (2015). A
Comparison of the Media-Ideal and Athletic Internalization Between Young Female
Gymnasts and Track and Field Sprinters. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology JCSP,
9(3), 282-291.
3. Using Learning Preferences to Improve Coaching and Athletic Performance.
Dunn, J. L. (2009). Using Learning Preferences to Improve Coaching and Athletic Performance.
Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 80(3), 30-37.