Showing papers in "Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy in 2017"

Impact of a Sustained Cooperative Learning Intervention on Student Motivation.

Abstract: Background: Cooperative Learning has been recently defined as a true pedagogical model. Moreover, in a recent review Casey and Goodyear reported that it can help physical education promote the four basic learning outcomes: physical, cognitive, social and affective.Purpose: The main goal was to investigate the impact of a sustained Cooperative Learning intervention on student motivation. The second goal was to assess students’ perceptions of the Cooperative Learning class climate. Finally, the third goal was to explore students’ feelings and thoughts after experiencing Cooperative Learning in physical education for an extended period of time.Participants and settings: 249 students (grades 8–11) and 4 teachers enrolled in 4 different high schools agreed to participate. Each school administration allocated several class groups to each teacher based on its necessities. Therefore, intact physical education classes played a part in this research project. They were randomly distributed into an experimental group...

Effects of improved content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge and student performance in physical education

Abstract: Background: Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is an interaction of several knowledge bases upon which the teacher makes decisions about what and how to teach. To date, there are no studies in physical education directly documenting relationships between specialized content knowledge (SCK) and PCK. Such relationships have not been empirically evidenced, in part because there have not been operational and thus replicable measures of SCK and PCK. SCK is the knowledge teachers need to teach content to students and consists of knowledge of errors and task presentations. In this study we used measures of SCK and PCK that were operational, replicable, and quantifiable.Purpose: In this study we examined changes in PCK and concomitant changes in student performance as a function of a content knowledge workshop designed to teach teachers predominately SCK in badminton. Play Practice served as the instructional model for badminton. Our research questions were: (1) How did the teacher's enacted PCK differed after t...

Barriers and facilitators to using digital technologies in the Cooperative Learning model in physical education

Abstract: Background: The influence of technology on children’s everyday lives is significant in today’s society, with children described as digital natives and/or the iGeneration. There are also a range of ...

SKIPing with teachers: an early years motor skill intervention

Abstract: Background: Fundamental motor skill (FMS) interventions when delivered by an expert can significantly improve the FMS of young children with and without developmental delays. However, there is a gap in the literature as few early childhood centers employ experts with the professional background to deliver FMS intervention.Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a motor skill program called SKIP (Successful Kinesthetic Instruction for Preschoolers) on student learning of object control skills (OC). A secondary purpose was to examine the extent to which early childhood teachers could implement the SKIP program with fidelity (while receiving on-going coaching and support) and the extent to which instructional fidelity influenced OC improvement in the SKIP condition.Participants and setting: There were two levels of participants in this study, early childhood teachers (N = 2, Women = 2) and their students (N = 57; Boys = 53%; Mage = 4.39, Range 3–6). All participan...

Assessment quality and practices in secondary PE in the Netherlands

Abstract: Background: Assessment can have various functions, and is an important impetus for student learning. For assessment to be effective, it should be aligned with curriculum goals and of sufficient quality. Although it has been suggested that assessment quality in physical education (PE) is suboptimal, research into actual assessment practices has been relatively scarce.Purpose: The goals of the present study were to determine the quality of assessment, teachers’ views on the functions of assessment, the alignment of assessment with learning goals, and the actual assessment practices in secondary PE in the Netherlands.Participants and setting: A total of 260 PE teachers from different schools in the Netherlands filled out an online Physical Education Assessment Questionnaire (PEAQ) on behalf of their school.Data collection: The online questionnaire (PEAQ) contained the following sections: quality of assessment, intended functions of assessment, assessment practices, and intended goals of PE.Data analy...

‘It doesn't matter how they move really, as long as they move.’ Physical education teachers on developing their students’ movement capabilities

Abstract: Background: Movement is key in physical education, but the educational value of moving is sometimes obscure. In Sweden, recent school reforms have endeavoured to introduce social constructionist concepts of knowledge and learning into physical education, where the movement capabilities of students are in focus. However, this means introducing a host of new and untested concepts to the physical education teacher community.Purpose. The purpose of this article is to explore how Swedish physical education teachers reason about helping their students develop movement capability.Participants, setting and research design. The data are taken from a research project conducted in eight Swedish secondary schools called ‘Physical education and health – a subject for learning?’ in which students and teachers were interviewed and physical education lessons were video-recorded. This article draws on data from interviews with the eight participating teachers, five men and three women. The teachers were interviewe...

Effect of graded competition on student opportunities for participation and success rates during a season of Sport Education

Abstract: Background: A guiding principle of Sport Education is that all students get equal opportunity to play, which is expedited through the use of small-sided contests. One element included within the philosophy of Sport Education is that of ‘graded competition.’ In graded competition, leagues are arranged that match students of similar skill level against one another, and in some cases, even the game forms are different across the competition levels. To date, there are no studies that have examined the utility of graded competition as promoting either student engagement or learning. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that using graded competition would increase opportunities for game involvement and success rates of both higher and lower skill level students. Participants and setting: The participants in this study were 106 fourth-grade students (51 boys and 55 girls, aged 10–11) from two physical education classes within an elementary school in the southeastern United States...

Teachers as Policy Actors: Co-Creating and Enacting Critical Inquiry in Secondary Health and Physical Education.

Abstract: Background: Critical inquiry approaches have been presented as one way of enhancing relevance in school-based education, and there have been calls from academia for its systematic use within health and physical education (HPE).Purpose: This research explored how three Secondary HPE teachers co-constructed and enacted a unit of work (Take Action) that was underpinned by critical inquiry approaches. Drawing on the work of Stephen Ball we focus here on the different ways in which the three teachers interpreted, translated and enacted ‘Take Action’, and negotiated a shift away from the performative pedagogies of traditional HPE. Take Action is a co-constructed, inquiry-based unit of work that sought to provide an alternative to traditional and often exclusive HPE.Data collection and analysis: A participatory action research approach was undertaken. Data were uncovered from qualitative interviews, classroom observations and field notes before, during and after the enactment of Take Action. Data were an...

What learning environments help improve decision-making?

Abstract: Background: Decision-making is a key component of performance in sport. However, there has been minimal investigation of how coaches may adapt practice sessions to specifically develop decision-making.Purpose: The aim in this exploratory study was to investigate the pedagogical approaches coaches use to develop decision-making in soccer.Method: Youth soccer coaches (n = 29) currently coaching youth teams (U11–U17) in Australia were filmed conducting two practice sessions. The first session was a regular training session, whereas in the second session, participants were asked to create an activity they believed would promote the development of on-ball decision-making. Systematic observation of the learning and teaching (LandT) component of each session was undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of the coach behaviours and practice activities in which they had players engage. During this activity, the number of on-ball actions was measured to reflect the associated decision-making opportunities. ...

‘The life of crime does not pay; stop and think!’: the process of co-constructing a prototype pedagogical model of sport for working with youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds

Abstract: Purpose: This study discusses the process of co-constructing a prototype pedagogical model for working with youth from socially vulnerable backgrounds.Participants and settings: This six-month activist research project was conducted in a soccer program in a socially vulnerable area of Brazil in 2013. The study included 17 youths, 4 coaches, a pedagogic coordinator and a social worker. An expert in student-centered pedagogy and inquiry-based activism assisted as a debriefer helping in the progressive data analysis and the planning of the work sessions.Data collection/analysis: Multiple sources of data were collected, including 38 field journal/observation and audio records of: 18 youth work sessions, 16 coaches’ work sessions, 3 combined coaches and youth work sessions, and 37 meetings between the researcher and the expert.Findings: The process of co-construction of this prototype pedagogical model was divided into three phases. The first phase involved the youth and coaches identifying barriers to...

Student voice as risky praxis: democratising physical education teacher education

Abstract: Background: Student voice agendas have been slow to permeate higher educational institutions. Curricula in universities, like those in primary and secondary education, are still usually made for students by teachers who, while they may have the best interests of the students in mind, rarely if ever engage students in curriculum decision-making. The need for more equitable, dialogic and democratic engagement by students is particularly relevant in the context of teacher education. It has been argued that pre-service teachers should experience democratic practices during their teacher education experiences in order to have the confidence, knowledge and skills to support democratic opportunities in schools.Purpose: Through the participatory action research project described in this paper we sought to position pre-service teachers as pedagogical consultants who would design feedback strategies, gather feedback with faculty and co-construct physical education teacher education (PETE) curricula. We saw ...

Pedagogies for inclusion of junior primary students with disabilities in PE

Abstract: Background: Laws and legislation have prompted movement from special education towards inclusive education, whereby students with disabilities are included in mainstream physical education (PE) classes. It is widely acknowledged that including students with disabilities in PE presents significant challenges in relation to meeting the diverse needs of all students. Significantly, little is known about how teachers include junior primary students with a disability in PE.Aims: This paper aims to explore pedagogical practices for the inclusion of junior primary students with disabilities in PE as well as environmental accommodations teachers make. In order to address these aims, the research undertaking was guided by the question: ‘What pedagogies do teachers draw upon to include junior primary students with disabilities in PE’?Methods: This qualitative research undertaking incorporated a critical case study approach, which utilised semi-structured interviews and field observations as data collection ...

Magnifying pre-service generalist teachers’ perceptions of preparedness to teach primary school physical education

Abstract: Background: Generalist teachers’ confidence, competence and preparedness to teach Physical Education (PE) following Primary School Physical Education Teacher Education (PSPETE) has emerged as a research imperative. Yet little is known of teachers’ perceptions of such matters. For teacher educators responding to the deficient delivery of primary school PE by generalists, greater understanding of these perceptions would be valuable.Purpose: To offer an empirically founded description of perceptions of preparedness to teach primary school PE that firstly informs ongoing deliberations for how generalist teachers may be prepared and secondly generates new ideas for teacher education (TE) research, pedagogy and practice.Participants and setting: Participants (n = 400) were pre-service generalist teachers finishing units of study in PE within several Primary School Teaching degree programmes at one Australian university. The setting for this research was unique as subject specialisations were a feature of genera...

Exergames ‘as a teacher’ of movement education: exploring knowing in moving when playing dance games in physical education

Abstract: Background: A fundamental dimension of school physical education (PE) is arguably movement and movement activities. However, there is a lack of discussion in the context of PE regarding what can be called the capability to move in terms of coordinative abilities, body consciousness and educing bodily senses.Purpose: This article explores and articulates what there is to know, from the mover's perspective, when knowing how to move in specific ways when playing exergames (dance games). Taking different ways of moving as expressing different ways of knowing as a point of departure, the following questions are the focus of this article: (i) How do students move when imitating movements in a dance game, and what different ways of knowing the movements can be described in the student group? (ii) What aspects of the movements are discerned simultaneously through the different ways of knowing the movements? (iii) What aspects seem critical for the students to discern and experience in order to know the movements ...

An Analysis of the Value of Multiple Mentors in Formalised Elite Coach Mentoring Programmes.

Abstract: Background: Within the context of sports coaching and coach education, formalised mentoring relationships are often depicted as a mentor–mentee dyad. Thus, mentoring within sports coaching is typically conceptualised as a one-dimensional relationship, where the mentor is seen as the powerful member of the dyad, with greater age and/or experience [Colley, H. (2003). Mentoring for Social Inclusion. London: Routledge].Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the concept of a multiple mentor system in an attempt to advance our theoretical and empirical understanding of sports coach mentoring. In doing so, this paper builds upon the suggestion of Jones, Harris, and Miles [(2009). “Mentoring in Sports Coaching: A Review of the Literature.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 14 (3): 267–284] who highlight the importance of generating empirical research to explore current mentoring approaches in sport, which in turn can inform meaningful formal coach education enhancement. The significance of this wor...

Mastery and exercise play interventions: motor skill development and verbal recall of children with and without disabilities

Abstract: Background: Fundamental motor skill proficiency is essential for engagement in sports and physical play and in the development of a healthy lifestyle. Children with motor delays (with and without disabilities) lack the motor skills necessary to participate in games and physical activity, and tend to spend more time as onlookers than do their peers. As such, intervention programs are crucial in promoting motor skill development of children with motor delays. While mastery climate (MC) interventions have shown to positively impact children’s motor performance, what is unknown is the impact of cognitive strategies used by children within these climates. Furthermore, although vigorous play seems to be related to the development of gross motor skills, it is still unknown if children with and without disabilities would benefit from exercise play (EP) interventions.Purpose: This study examined the effects of MC and EP interventions on the motor skill development and verbal recall (VR) of children with mo...

The noticing of physical education teachers: a comparison of groups with different expertise

Abstract: Background: Teachers’ important diagnostic abilities include noticing and interpreting students’ behaviors and learning processes. By focusing on noticing, I refer to the theoretical framework of professional vision. Professional vision includes the ability to notice what is occurring in complex classroom situations (selective attention) and the ability to give these events meaningful importance (knowledge-based reasoning).Purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate the noticing differences of groups with different expertise while they observe students’ activities in gym class.Participants and setting: Sixty participants with different sport-specific and pedagogical expertise were asked to describe and interpret videotaped teaching sequences. Observational data were obtained from physical education classes. The focus was on motoric and social learning processes.Research design: The groups were compared in a four-field design according to their observations and interpretations of student...

Professional development in adapted physical education with graduate web-based professional learning

Abstract: Background: The field of adapted physical education (APE) has long struggled to overcome significant and persistent personnel shortages [Healy, S., M. E. Block, and J. Judge. 2014. “Certified Adapt...

Effectiveness of physical education to promote motor competence in primary school children

Abstract: Background: Motor skill (MS) competence is an important contributing factor for healthy development.Purpose: The goal was to test the effectiveness of primary school physical education (PE) on MS and physical fitness (PF) development.Methods: Three classes (n = 60, aged 9.0 ± 0.9) were randomly assigned to three diverse conditions during a school year: two PE lessons/week (PE-2), three PE lessons/week (PE-3), and no PE lessons control group (CG). BMI, skinfolds, PF (9-min run/walk, sit-up, modified pull-ups), gymnastics, soccer, handball, basketball and track-and-field skills were evaluated. Effect sizes (d) were reported as magnitude of change.Results: Skinfolds significantly increased only in CG (d = 1.21). PF composite z-scores improved in PE-3 (d = 0.61), but decreased in PE-2 (d = 0.57), and had no changes in CG. Statistically significant improvement was verified in gymnastics and handball skills in both experimental groups (gymnastic: d = 2.95 and d = 2.61 for PE-3 and PE-2, respectively; ha...

Effects of a physical education-based coping training on adolescents’ coping skills, stress perceptions and quality of sleep

Abstract: Background: Although most adolescents successfully manage the transition between childhood and adulthood, the speed and magnitude of these changes may exceed the coping abilities of a significant number of young people. For vocational students, additional responsibilities arise during the vocational school transition and the need to balance academic and job-related requirements. An expanding body of literature suggests that adolescence is a vulnerable period for the development of psychiatric diseases and as such, the need to develop an adequate coping repertoire is receiving increasing attention globally. The growing awareness of long-term consequences of stress has led governments to instill school-based resilience promotion programs. For instance, the new physical education (PE) curriculum of vocational (vocational education and training (VET)) students in Switzerland addresses stress management, because stress-related diseases at the workplace have become commonplace among young professionals....

Just for the Fun of It: Coaches' Perceptions of an Exemplary Community Youth Sport Program.

Abstract: Background: A growing body of research has studied sport as a vehicle for positive youth development (PYD). While much of this research has investigated the developmental outcomes associated with sport participation, less is known about the mechanisms through which PYD occurs in a sport context. Further, much of the research on PYD in sport has studied competitive sport settings, while comparatively less is known about recreational sport.Aims: This qualitative descriptive study explored coaches’ perceptions of a successful recreational community youth basketball league. Specifically, this study aimed to describe coaches’ perceptions of the structure of the league, the developmental outcomes associated with youth’s participation in this sport program, as well as the mechanisms through which these outcomes are realized.Participants: A total of 12 volunteer basketball coaches (6 males and 6 females) were purposefully selected to participate in this study. The coaches were between 16 and 59 years old,...

Relations among basic psychological needs, PE-motivation and fundamental movement skills in 9-12-year-old boys and girls in Physical Education

Abstract: Background: Many children aged 9–12 appear to have low levels of fundamental movement skills (FMS). Physical education (PE) is important because PE-teachers can teach children a variety of FMS and can influence PE-motivation. However, declined levels of PE-motivation are reported in the final grades of elementary school. Therefore, more insight in the relations between PE-motivation and FMS is needed.Purposes: In the first phase, instruments to measure the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (competence, autonomy, classmate relatedness and teacher relatedness) and PE-motivation (autonomous and controlled) in 9–12-year-old children were developed and validated. The purpose of the second phase was to examine the influence of basic psychological needs on PE-motivation, the influence of PE-motivation on locomotor skills, object control skills and balance skills, and the direct influence of basic psychological needs on FMS for boys and girls aged 9–12.Participants and data collection: In the first phase,...

Mapping physical education teachers’ professional learning and impacts on pupil learning in a community of practice in South Korea

Abstract: Background: A new national physical education (PE) curriculum has been developed in South Korea and PE teachers have been challenged to deliver new transferable educational outcomes in character development through PE. In one geographical area, in order to support teachers to make required changes, a Communities of Practice (CoP) approach to continuing professional development (CPD) was adopted. Rather than being based in a single-school, this CoP brought PE teachers together from a number of schools with the aim of sharing learning and impacting on pedagogies, practices and pupils’ learning in character development through PE.Aims: To map and analyse the ways in which teachers (i) learnt about character education in a CoP, (ii) used this learning to inform their pedagogies and practices, and (iii) impacted on pupil learning in and beyond PE.Method: The participants were a university professor, 8 secondary school PE teachers from 8 different schools and 41 pupils. Data collection was undertaken in...

‘You don’t want to stand out as the bigger one’: exploring how PE and school sport participation is influenced by pupils and their peers

Abstract: Background: Population health concerns related to physical inactivity and obesity appear in policy documents, government campaigns and popular media across western societies. Children and young people have been targeted for physical activity promotion and schools have been positioned as sites for intervention. In particular, Physical Education and school sport (PESS) has been framed as a key part of the solution. While some interventionist programmes in schools have reported positive outcomes, they have also been criticised for stigmatising fatness, contributing to a culture of surveillance and fuelling body image anxieties. Despite ongoing work to ameliorate these critical issues by addressing physical activity promotion discourses, curricula and teaching practices many of the same challenges persist. In seeking alternative explanations (and solutions) this paper shifts attention to exploring the role of pupils and their peers.Purpose: While the critical literature on health and physical educatio...

The effect of attentional focus cues on object control performance in elementary children

Abstract: Background and purpose: Attentional focus cues have been shown to impact motor performance of adults and children. Specifically, an external focus of attention results in improved motor learning an...

Intercultural education in physical education: results of a quasi-experimental intervention study with secondary school students

Abstract: Background: Due to migration processes, cultural diversity and strangeness are becoming characteristics of modern society. The competence to handle this heterogeneity – the so-called intercultural competence – is a key competence for all children and youths. Sports and physical education (PE) are often considered as a particular field for enhancing intercultural competence. However, until now there is no theory-based empirical study that proves this assumption. Purpose: This study was designed to examine the effects of a standardised, theoretically driven programme in PE on the development of underlying cognitive concepts of intercultural competence: acculturation attitudes and attitudes towards cultural diversity. Research design: The research design consists of a quasi-experimental design with four measurement points. The intervention group (N = 69; mean age = 11.6 years (SD = 0.60)) followed standardised and theory-driven intervention lessons following the didactical guidelines of the concept o...

Is practical subject matter knowledge still important?: Examining the Siedentopian perspective on the role of content knowledge in physical education teacher education

Abstract: Background: The role that content knowledge, an important component of practical subject matter knowledge, plays for pre-service teachers (PSTs) in physical education teacher education (PETE) remains contested and unclear. Whilst some researchers emphasise the facilitative nature of such knowledge, others criticise that too much focus on content knowledge has a negative effect on the development of pupil-centred and critical pedagogies. Despite of its seeming importance, specific research into this aspect of the knowledge base remains scarce. Purpose: This research set out to examine the effects that varying levels of content knowledge had on the development of PSTs in PETE. In doing so, it aimed to create an enhanced understanding of how this knowledge base influences the learning and development of PSTs in PETE. Methods and procedures: Shulman’s [1987. ‘Knowledge and Teaching: Foundation of the new Reform’. Harvard Educational Review 57 (1): 1–22] conceptualisation of the knowledge base for teaching was used to delineate the concept of content knowledge. Influenced by a constructivist approach to grounded theory, this study employed semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and post-lesson reflections as main instruments of data collection during three stages of a one-year PETE programme at a University in the UK. Using constant comparative analysis, data from 12 PSTs (6 female; 6 male) were analysed, following a 2-stage analysis procedure as outlined by Charmaz [2006. Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis. London: Sage]. Main outcomes and results: Content knowledge limitations were found to have numerous effects on PSTs. Lack of teaching confidence, as well as adverse impact on enacted teaching knowledge (pedagogical content knowledge) highlighted that at least ‘adequacy’ of content knowledge is needed, if PSTs are to use more advanced pedagogical strategies with confidence. Content knowledge was seen to be context specific and contextualised within the curriculum delivered in the respective schools, where PSTs were placed. In-depth content knowledge was perceived to be an asset that could be used to design and teach lessons that were responsive to pupil need. Conclusions: In line with Siedentop’s [[1989] 2002. ‘Content Knowledge for Physical Education’. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education 21 (4): 368–377] critique of the academicisation of PETE, this study confirmed the facilitative role of content knowledge. Whilst such knowledge by itself does not guarantee good teaching, the debate about the wider role practical subject matter knowledge needs be re-visited. As universities and schools reposition and redefine their roles within a changing landscape of teacher education partnership models and the academic priorities and funding limitations at UK universities, the development of a range and depth of content knowledge represents an evolving challenge for all of those involved in PETE.

Early childhood teachers’ views about teaching physical education: challenges and recommendations

Abstract: Background: Educational scholars emphasize that in order to gain a better understanding of the complexity of teaching, greater attention needs to be paid to teachers’ views and perceptions of the challenges and barriers of teaching.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe preschool teachers’ views and perceptions of the main challenges of teaching physical education. The major question addressed was: what are the main challenges that preschool teachers face in teaching physical education, and based on their experiences what suggestions do the preschool teachers make in reference to early childhood physical education?Data collection and analysis: Four experienced early childhood educators from Cyprus volunteered to participate in this study. Data were collected through formal interviews and were analyzed inductively via individual-case and cross-case analysis.Findings: The findings suggest that the four early childhood teachers believed that the main aim of physical education, in the earl...

Implementation of a values training program in physical education and sport: a follow-up study

Abstract: Background: There is growing evidence indicating that physical education and sport (PES) are environments that, when appropriately structured, can promote positive youth developmental outcomes. In recent years, a number of researchers working in PES have designed programs and interventions aimed at helping teachers and coaches teach life skills and values. However, such efforts have lacked long-term assessments.Purpose: The present study consists of a two-year follow-up assessment of the Koh, Ong, and Camire [2014. “Implementation of a Values Training Program in Physical Education and Sport: Perspectives from Teachers, Coaches, Students and Athletes.” Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. Advance online publication] values training program for teachers and coaches. The participating school’s four values (i.e. integrity, resilience, commitment, and respect) were integrated within the training program. The study was guided by three research questions: (a) how have the teacher and coaches taught val...

Interpretation and enactment of Senior Secondary Physical Education: pedagogic realities and the expression of Arnoldian dimensions of movement

Abstract: Background: New curriculum developments present opportunities for established thinking and practice in physical education to be reaffirmed or challenged in government, professional and institutional arenas. The introduction of a new official text for the Victorian Certificate of Education Physical Education [VCEPE] in 2011 provided a prompt for renewed debate about the ways in which ‘multiple ways of knowing' could prospectively find expression in senior secondary physical education. Previous analysis of the new VCEPE official text and associated assessment requirements led to a prediction that a theoretical–practical binary may well be reaffirmed amidst implementation of the new course in schools, such that senior secondary physical education (SSPE) in Victorian schools may remain an essentially propositional/theoretical subject.Purpose: This paper reports on research that has pursued this prediction and specifically explored the expression of Arnold's three dimensions of education in, through an...