Stephen Langendorfer - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Stephen Langendorfer

Research paper thumbnail of The Times They Are A’ Changing

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2015

It is with somewhat mixed feelings that I composed this editorial to the readership of the Intern... more It is with somewhat mixed feelings that I composed this editorial to the readership of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education about some imminent changes that IJARE is going to experience. As many regular readers are aware, IJARE is in its 9th consecutive year (and volume) of publication as a quarterly scholarly journal with both print and online versions and a mission to disseminate research and professional papers in all areas of noncompetitive aquatics. Despite a regular and faithful readership and a growing number and quality of papers and authors in aquatics, IJARE simply has not generated enough individual or library subscriptions to come close to breaking even. We also have been unable to get indexed in PubMed or receive an ISI journal impact factor which has inhibited some young scholars from submitting their best work to us. Several months ago, representatives from our publisher, Human Kinetics, contacted me to present these facts and to let me know that they could no longer publish the journal. This was the "bad news." The "good news" is that they promised to finish publishing all issues in the 9th volume and, importantly, offered to help us find another publisher and to facilitate the change from publication by Human Kinetics to another publisher. As it turned out, "another publisher" (more accurately, another publishing platform) was located a mere 300 meters from my faculty office and only 800 meters from my home office (where I do most of my editorial work)! Bowling Green State University, my "day job," has an agreement with a publishing entity associated with the University of California at Berkeley known as Berkeley Press, or more commonly, bepress. Like ScholarOne, the owners of Manuscript Central, IJARE's publishing platform the past 9 years, bepress has a publishing platform known as ScholarWorks. The University Libraries at BGSU has an ongoing agreement to manage ScholarWorks for a variety of local purposes including publishing online open access journals. When I contacted colleagues at BGSU's University Libraries, they were absolutely thrilled to host another journal, especially an established international journal such as IJARE. So, what does this change in publishing platform mean for the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, its authors, readers, and other interested parties? In fact, it has several very important, and for the most part, very positive implications. Some things, however, will not change. For example, we are maintaining our mission as an international scholarly journal that uses a rigorous double-blind peer review process. We will continue to publish on a quarterly basis. We will maintain (and probably expand) our Editorial Board to represent as many countries and areas of aquatic expertise as possible. Human Kinetics is allowing us to move all the previous issues published by Human Kinetics to the ScholarWorks site so that the entire journal is housed in a single location.

Research paper thumbnail of Bits and Pieces

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Where out children play: elementary school playground equipment; Play spaces for children: a new beginning. 2 volumes

Research paper thumbnail of Label Motor Patterns, Not Kids: A Developmental Perspective for Adapted Physical Education

The Physical Educator, Dec 1, 1985

Research paper thumbnail of Quo Vadis, Aquatics?

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2009

I admit it. I chose the title for this editorial partially to show off my high school Latin backg... more I admit it. I chose the title for this editorial partially to show off my high school Latin background learned in Mrs. June LeRay-Bates classroom at Haverling Central School, where I had four years of nightly homework translating Caesar, Cicero, Virgo, and other classical writers. Perhaps the title may help assuage her disappointment that I decided to study motor development and aquatics rather than Latin. If you were not as fortunate as I to have studied Latin in a stimulating learning environment like Mrs. LeRay's class, you may want to investigate the term to learn its intended meaning in this context. More importantly, I chose the title to focus the topic of this editorial: to offer a dialogue on the directions I see the aquatic field heading, and equally important, to raise the question of where each of us may be helping direct our field. I think these two topics are inextricably linked. In the next few paragraphs, I will share some directions, both those I personally see as negative as well as positive, regarding the contemporary field of aquatics. I also challenge each reader to consider her or his personal commitment to being an agent of change in aquatics.

Research paper thumbnail of Universal Standards and Codes for Aquatics and Water Safety

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Mastering Swimming: Your Guide for Fitness, Training, and Competition

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of The "A" Word

International journal of aquatic research and education, Nov 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of A Drowning Risk Assessment (DRA) Observation Instrument: A Developmental Proposal

Research paper thumbnail of Getting Into the Swim

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2007

Welcome to the first volume and issue of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Educat... more Welcome to the first volume and issue of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education! IJARE is the unique collaborative project of the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) and Human Kinetics (HK). More specifically, this first issue culminates a series of ongoing discussions between Tom Lachocki, CEO of NSPF, and Rainer Martens, president of HK, over the past several years. I know from my occasional discussions with Rainer dating back at least 20 years that he has long had aspirations for Human Kinetics to publish a broadly focused aquatic serial. The existence of IJARE today is therefore a tribute to Rainer's personal vision and perseverance in conjunction with Tom's own personal and professional support for promoting a forum for the discussion of aquatic issues. As I have shared with colleagues who have asked, I have found the prospect of taking on the editorial challenges of helping to start up IJARE to be simultaneously the most exciting and most terrifying job I could imagine undertaking! I feel fortunate to have been involved in aquatics for over 40 years as a high school, college, and (still) Masters swimmer; lifeguard; water-safety instructor (WSI); water-safety-instructor trainer (WSIT); and member of national faculty in aquatics for both the American Red Cross and the YMCA of the USA, as well as conducting research and authoring aquatics-related articles and books. All of these previous opportunities in aquatics and water safety probably pale in comparison to the rewards and challenges of starting and editing a journal. Fortunately, serving as editor is more like being the conductor of an orchestra than a solo performer or member of a small rock band. In addition to the friendly and helpful staff at NSPF, the dedicated and professional editorial and production personnel at HK's Journals Division, and the ScholarOne technical support group, there are the supportive members of the IJARE editorial board, the many selfless reviewers, the eager authors, and, of course, you, the subscribers and readers who all work together to create this endeavor. The degree to which IJARE becomes a success will mostly be a tribute to this large group of dedicated collaborators. Goals You may be wondering what we collectively are hoping to accomplish through the publication of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education. That is an especially appropriate question to ask and answer in this introductory editorial to the first issue. One simple way to answer the question is to refer the reader to our journal mission: IJARE publishes original research reports on people's use of aquatic facilities and participation in noncompetitive aquatic programs. The journal also publishes informative [professional education] articles about the teaching and learning of aquatic knowledge and skills.

Research paper thumbnail of Insights on Parents Attending Swim Lessons

International journal of aquatic research and education, Aug 1, 2014

The role of parents within learn-to-swim programs has become rather controversial, at least in th... more The role of parents within learn-to-swim programs has become rather controversial, at least in the United States. As a result of perceived inappropriate interference by some parents, many programs ban parents, caregivers, and other family members from the pool area during lessons. Some programs don't even allow family members to observe their children in swim lessons from a distance such as from a balcony, spectator seats, or through windows in the pool. As both a parent and a swim instructor, I have seen different sides of this controversy and I believe I can offer a few insights and principles related to the issues involved.

Research paper thumbnail of Children's Aquatics: Managing the Risk

Parks and recreation, 1989

Research paper thumbnail of Aquatics for young children: facts and myths

The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 1986

Research paper thumbnail of Test of Gross Motor Development

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Apr 1, 1986

Research paper thumbnail of In Volume 2, Issue 3

International journal of aquatic research and education, Aug 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Science in Swimming V

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Aquatic Experiences for Young Children: Evaluating Risks and Benefits

Pediatric Exercise Science, Aug 1, 1989

Aquatic experiences including structured instructional programs for young children have become ex... more Aquatic experiences including structured instructional programs for young children have become extremely popular over the past two decades despite opposition and controversy. Surprisingly, this popularity and controversy have not given rise to extensive or sustained research efforts by exercise scientists or aquatic professionals. Most information available for assessing risks and benefits of aquatic experiences for young children must be gleaned from ancillary sources in medical and educational literature. This paper reviews important issues and questions in the medical, developmental, and pedagogical areas of early childhood aquatics. The need for basic and applied research efforts by teams of exercise scientists from physiologic, psychologic, medical, and aquatic backgrounds is apparent. Starting in the 1960s and continuing to the present, aquatic programs for infants and young children have been increasingly popular in the U.S. Estimates suggest that from 5 to 10 million infants and preschool children may be participating in formal aquatic instructional programs in this country annually (28). The ongoing popularity of these programs is indicated by the number of national agencies including the American and Canadian Red Cross and the YMCA of the USA, which have recently published materials to enable instructors to conduct nationally standardized aquatic programs (3, 7, 70). Apparently a variety of factors have contributed to the growing popularity and increasing numbers of infants and young children who, with their parents, engage in formal programs of aquatic instruction. Certainly the increased socioeconomic prosperity and expectations of North American society in general have influenced the increase in aquatic facilities and the amount of leisure spent in and around the water. The baby boomers as children, and now as adults, are heading to the water in unprecedented numbers. Fitness trends of the last several decades appear to be extending into the preschool age bracket. The desire of some parents to provide early enrichment experiences for their children is a strong impetus for enrolling them in aquatic programs. Other parents seek aquatic programs simply to provide specific skills such as water safety or swimming strokes for their young children.

Research paper thumbnail of Student Impressions of Syllabus Design: Engaging Versus Contractual Syllabus

International journal for the scholarship of teaching and learning, Jul 31, 2016

This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich eng... more This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students. This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students.

Research paper thumbnail of Water Fun

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Swimming Past the Pandemic: Importance of Evidence-Based Science

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of The Times They Are A’ Changing

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2015

It is with somewhat mixed feelings that I composed this editorial to the readership of the Intern... more It is with somewhat mixed feelings that I composed this editorial to the readership of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education about some imminent changes that IJARE is going to experience. As many regular readers are aware, IJARE is in its 9th consecutive year (and volume) of publication as a quarterly scholarly journal with both print and online versions and a mission to disseminate research and professional papers in all areas of noncompetitive aquatics. Despite a regular and faithful readership and a growing number and quality of papers and authors in aquatics, IJARE simply has not generated enough individual or library subscriptions to come close to breaking even. We also have been unable to get indexed in PubMed or receive an ISI journal impact factor which has inhibited some young scholars from submitting their best work to us. Several months ago, representatives from our publisher, Human Kinetics, contacted me to present these facts and to let me know that they could no longer publish the journal. This was the "bad news." The "good news" is that they promised to finish publishing all issues in the 9th volume and, importantly, offered to help us find another publisher and to facilitate the change from publication by Human Kinetics to another publisher. As it turned out, "another publisher" (more accurately, another publishing platform) was located a mere 300 meters from my faculty office and only 800 meters from my home office (where I do most of my editorial work)! Bowling Green State University, my "day job," has an agreement with a publishing entity associated with the University of California at Berkeley known as Berkeley Press, or more commonly, bepress. Like ScholarOne, the owners of Manuscript Central, IJARE's publishing platform the past 9 years, bepress has a publishing platform known as ScholarWorks. The University Libraries at BGSU has an ongoing agreement to manage ScholarWorks for a variety of local purposes including publishing online open access journals. When I contacted colleagues at BGSU's University Libraries, they were absolutely thrilled to host another journal, especially an established international journal such as IJARE. So, what does this change in publishing platform mean for the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, its authors, readers, and other interested parties? In fact, it has several very important, and for the most part, very positive implications. Some things, however, will not change. For example, we are maintaining our mission as an international scholarly journal that uses a rigorous double-blind peer review process. We will continue to publish on a quarterly basis. We will maintain (and probably expand) our Editorial Board to represent as many countries and areas of aquatic expertise as possible. Human Kinetics is allowing us to move all the previous issues published by Human Kinetics to the ScholarWorks site so that the entire journal is housed in a single location.

Research paper thumbnail of Bits and Pieces

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Where out children play: elementary school playground equipment; Play spaces for children: a new beginning. 2 volumes

Research paper thumbnail of Label Motor Patterns, Not Kids: A Developmental Perspective for Adapted Physical Education

The Physical Educator, Dec 1, 1985

Research paper thumbnail of Quo Vadis, Aquatics?

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2009

I admit it. I chose the title for this editorial partially to show off my high school Latin backg... more I admit it. I chose the title for this editorial partially to show off my high school Latin background learned in Mrs. June LeRay-Bates classroom at Haverling Central School, where I had four years of nightly homework translating Caesar, Cicero, Virgo, and other classical writers. Perhaps the title may help assuage her disappointment that I decided to study motor development and aquatics rather than Latin. If you were not as fortunate as I to have studied Latin in a stimulating learning environment like Mrs. LeRay's class, you may want to investigate the term to learn its intended meaning in this context. More importantly, I chose the title to focus the topic of this editorial: to offer a dialogue on the directions I see the aquatic field heading, and equally important, to raise the question of where each of us may be helping direct our field. I think these two topics are inextricably linked. In the next few paragraphs, I will share some directions, both those I personally see as negative as well as positive, regarding the contemporary field of aquatics. I also challenge each reader to consider her or his personal commitment to being an agent of change in aquatics.

Research paper thumbnail of Universal Standards and Codes for Aquatics and Water Safety

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Mastering Swimming: Your Guide for Fitness, Training, and Competition

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of The "A" Word

International journal of aquatic research and education, Nov 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of A Drowning Risk Assessment (DRA) Observation Instrument: A Developmental Proposal

Research paper thumbnail of Getting Into the Swim

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2007

Welcome to the first volume and issue of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Educat... more Welcome to the first volume and issue of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education! IJARE is the unique collaborative project of the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) and Human Kinetics (HK). More specifically, this first issue culminates a series of ongoing discussions between Tom Lachocki, CEO of NSPF, and Rainer Martens, president of HK, over the past several years. I know from my occasional discussions with Rainer dating back at least 20 years that he has long had aspirations for Human Kinetics to publish a broadly focused aquatic serial. The existence of IJARE today is therefore a tribute to Rainer's personal vision and perseverance in conjunction with Tom's own personal and professional support for promoting a forum for the discussion of aquatic issues. As I have shared with colleagues who have asked, I have found the prospect of taking on the editorial challenges of helping to start up IJARE to be simultaneously the most exciting and most terrifying job I could imagine undertaking! I feel fortunate to have been involved in aquatics for over 40 years as a high school, college, and (still) Masters swimmer; lifeguard; water-safety instructor (WSI); water-safety-instructor trainer (WSIT); and member of national faculty in aquatics for both the American Red Cross and the YMCA of the USA, as well as conducting research and authoring aquatics-related articles and books. All of these previous opportunities in aquatics and water safety probably pale in comparison to the rewards and challenges of starting and editing a journal. Fortunately, serving as editor is more like being the conductor of an orchestra than a solo performer or member of a small rock band. In addition to the friendly and helpful staff at NSPF, the dedicated and professional editorial and production personnel at HK's Journals Division, and the ScholarOne technical support group, there are the supportive members of the IJARE editorial board, the many selfless reviewers, the eager authors, and, of course, you, the subscribers and readers who all work together to create this endeavor. The degree to which IJARE becomes a success will mostly be a tribute to this large group of dedicated collaborators. Goals You may be wondering what we collectively are hoping to accomplish through the publication of the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education. That is an especially appropriate question to ask and answer in this introductory editorial to the first issue. One simple way to answer the question is to refer the reader to our journal mission: IJARE publishes original research reports on people's use of aquatic facilities and participation in noncompetitive aquatic programs. The journal also publishes informative [professional education] articles about the teaching and learning of aquatic knowledge and skills.

Research paper thumbnail of Insights on Parents Attending Swim Lessons

International journal of aquatic research and education, Aug 1, 2014

The role of parents within learn-to-swim programs has become rather controversial, at least in th... more The role of parents within learn-to-swim programs has become rather controversial, at least in the United States. As a result of perceived inappropriate interference by some parents, many programs ban parents, caregivers, and other family members from the pool area during lessons. Some programs don't even allow family members to observe their children in swim lessons from a distance such as from a balcony, spectator seats, or through windows in the pool. As both a parent and a swim instructor, I have seen different sides of this controversy and I believe I can offer a few insights and principles related to the issues involved.

Research paper thumbnail of Children's Aquatics: Managing the Risk

Parks and recreation, 1989

Research paper thumbnail of Aquatics for young children: facts and myths

The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 1986

Research paper thumbnail of Test of Gross Motor Development

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, Apr 1, 1986

Research paper thumbnail of In Volume 2, Issue 3

International journal of aquatic research and education, Aug 1, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Science in Swimming V

International journal of aquatic research and education, Feb 1, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of Aquatic Experiences for Young Children: Evaluating Risks and Benefits

Pediatric Exercise Science, Aug 1, 1989

Aquatic experiences including structured instructional programs for young children have become ex... more Aquatic experiences including structured instructional programs for young children have become extremely popular over the past two decades despite opposition and controversy. Surprisingly, this popularity and controversy have not given rise to extensive or sustained research efforts by exercise scientists or aquatic professionals. Most information available for assessing risks and benefits of aquatic experiences for young children must be gleaned from ancillary sources in medical and educational literature. This paper reviews important issues and questions in the medical, developmental, and pedagogical areas of early childhood aquatics. The need for basic and applied research efforts by teams of exercise scientists from physiologic, psychologic, medical, and aquatic backgrounds is apparent. Starting in the 1960s and continuing to the present, aquatic programs for infants and young children have been increasingly popular in the U.S. Estimates suggest that from 5 to 10 million infants and preschool children may be participating in formal aquatic instructional programs in this country annually (28). The ongoing popularity of these programs is indicated by the number of national agencies including the American and Canadian Red Cross and the YMCA of the USA, which have recently published materials to enable instructors to conduct nationally standardized aquatic programs (3, 7, 70). Apparently a variety of factors have contributed to the growing popularity and increasing numbers of infants and young children who, with their parents, engage in formal programs of aquatic instruction. Certainly the increased socioeconomic prosperity and expectations of North American society in general have influenced the increase in aquatic facilities and the amount of leisure spent in and around the water. The baby boomers as children, and now as adults, are heading to the water in unprecedented numbers. Fitness trends of the last several decades appear to be extending into the preschool age bracket. The desire of some parents to provide early enrichment experiences for their children is a strong impetus for enrolling them in aquatic programs. Other parents seek aquatic programs simply to provide specific skills such as water safety or swimming strokes for their young children.

Research paper thumbnail of Student Impressions of Syllabus Design: Engaging Versus Contractual Syllabus

International journal for the scholarship of teaching and learning, Jul 31, 2016

This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich eng... more This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students. This study compared student impressions of a text-rich contractual syllabus to a graphic-rich engaging syllabus. Students enrolled in sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition course viewed either a contractual or engaging syllabus and completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the course and instructor. Students perceived both types of syllabus positively, yet the engaging syllabus was judged to be more visually appealing and comprehensive. More importantly, it motivated more interest in the class and instructor than the contractual syllabus. Using an engaging syllabus may benefit instructors who seek to gain more favorable initial course perceptions by students.

Research paper thumbnail of Water Fun

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2007

Research paper thumbnail of Swimming Past the Pandemic: Importance of Evidence-Based Science

International journal of aquatic research and education, May 1, 2020