The Validity of Academic Learning Time–Physical Education (ALT–PE) as a Process Measure of Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ALT–PE system (Version 2) is valid as a process approach to estimate student achievement. Students (N = 60) were randomly selected from a data base that includes pretest and posttest scores for two volleyball skills and seven sessions of videotaped instruction. Videotapes were collected using two cameras with a split-screen generator so most instruction and practice could be seen. ALT–PE data were coded from the videotapes. In addition to normal ALT–PE coding conventions, coders recorded the skill that was the focus of instruction. Combinations of context and learner involvement categories were summed for each skill across the seven class sessions and to form other logical categories (e.g., total motor appropriate intervals). Achievement scores were calculated by posttest on pretest regression for each skill with the residual score used for subsequent analysis. Residual achievement scores were correlated with summed ALT–PE categories. The results indicate for the serve both total motor appropriate and practice–motor appropriate intervals were related to student achievement. For the pass, practice–motor appropriate intervals were related to achievement and the total motor appropriate–achievement correlation failed significance. These results demonstrate the validity of the ALT–PE system as a process measure of achievement can be partially substantiated.     

Student Characteristics Mediating Engagement-Outcome Relationships in Physical Education

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships among student achievement, student engagement, and the selected student characteristics of initial skill, previous experience, and sex.

Students (n = 45 after attrition) were pretested, received instruction, and were posttested on the breaststroke. The four instructional periods were videotaped. Videotapes were coded for the amount of time students spent in motor engagement, cognitive engagement, and three nonengaged categories.

When all students were grouped together, no engagement variable was a significant predictor of residualized achievement. However, when the analysis was performed for students divided by gender, previous experience, and three levels of initial skill, significant relationships were found. Motor engagement did not predict achievement for the subgroup classifications. Cognitive engagement had a negative relationship with residualized posttest scores for two subpopulation groups. All engaged lime had both positive and negative part correlations with achievement.     

Analogy motor learning by young children: a study of rope skipping

Research in psychology suggests that provision of an instruction by analogy can enhance acquisition and understanding of knowledge. Limited research has been conducted to test this proposition in motor learning by children. The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of analogy instructions in motor skill acquisition by children. Thirty-two children were randomly assigned to one of the two instruction protocols: analogy and explicit instruction protocols for a two-week rope skipping training. Each participant completed a pretest (Lesson 1), three practice sessions (Lesson 2–4), a posttest and a secondary task test (Lesson 5). Children in the analogy protocol displayed better rope skip performance than those in the explicit instruction protocol (p?<?.001). Moreover, a cognitive secondary task test indicated that children in the analogy protocol performed more effectively, whereas children in the explicit protocol displayed decrements in performance. Analogy learning may aid children to acquire complex motor skills, and have potential benefits related to reduced cognitive processing requirements.     

Differential Effects of Three Teachers Over a Unit of Instruction

The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of three teachers on psychomotor, affective, and cognitive outcomes over a 15-lesson volleyball unit. Three intact middle school physical education classes were used. Pre- and posttests were administered for the overhead set, forearm pass, and serve psychomotor skills. A semantic differential test with four affective dimensions and a written test on the rules, strategies, and mechanics of volleyball were also administered pre- and posttest. Data on instructional characteristics were obtained using academic learning time (ALT-PE); observation system for content development (OSCD-PE), and a content analysis of lessons.

The following were key aspects of the results: (a) Teachers differed in their approaches to the content of the unit more than in the characteristics of their instruction as determined through observational data; (b) teachers differed in respect to the psychomotor skills for which they were able to produce statistically significant student gain; (c) the skill level of students played a major role in psychomotor outcomes; (d) affective measures started high and remained high from pre- to posttest with significant change occurring positively with the low-skilled in one measure; (d) cognitive learning was significant from pre- to posttest in rules and mechanics but not in strategies. Instructional characteristics, as described in this study, did not change from skill to skill, but student learning did. This led the authors to conclude that the instrumentation for instructional variables was not sensitive to differences in the way individual skills were handled by individual teachers.     

Gender differences in throwing form of children ages 6-8 years during a throwing game

The study purposes were to describe throwing form and gender differences before and after instruction during a game. Children's (ages 6-8, n = 105) throwing form was assessed while they played a game (snowball) using the Body Component Assessment for Throwing in Games to determine the modal developmental levels for the step, trunk, and forearm components. Each student received four 30-min sessions of throwing instruction. There were significant (p < .017) gender differences at each session and for each component. A Wilcoxon-Signed Ranks Test revealed differences (p < .017) between pretest and after instruction for boys' trunk and forearm components and girls'step and trunk components. The improvement after instruction and gender differences were similar to those found in a controlled, practice context.     

The Relationship of Cognitive Style and Instructional Strategy to Learning and Transfer of Motor Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the games for understanding model by comparing it to a technique approach to instruction and a control group. The technique method focused primarily on skill instruction where the skill taught initially was incorporated into a game at the end of each lesson. The games for understanding approach emphasized developing tactical awareness and decision making in small game situations. Two physical education specialists taught field hockey using these approaches for 15 lessons (45 min each). The control group did not receive any field hockey instruction. Data were collected from 71 middle school children. Pretests and posttests were administered for hockey knowledge, skill, and game performance. Separate analyses of variance or analyses of covariance were conducted to examine group differences for cognitive and skill outcomes. The games for understanding group scored significantly higher on passing decision making than the technique and control groups during posttest game play and significantly higher than the control group for declarative and procedural knowledge. The games for understanding group scored significantly higher on control and passing execution than the other groups during posttest game play. For hockey skill, there were no significant differences among the treatment groups for accuracy, but the technique group recorded faster times than the control group on the posttest.     

Videotape Replay and the Learning of Skills in Open and Closed Environments

Abstract

Female novice tennis players (N = 42) were randomly assigned to one of three videotape replay (VTR) conditions: Performance Information Feedback (PIF); Environmental Information Feedback (EIF); or a combination of both (PEIF) to ascertain whether the treatments differentially affected open (ground-strokes) and closed (serve) skills. Performance measures were obtained on a pretest and posttest as well as during session 4 and session 8. Cues appropriate to the VTR condition were employed to direct the subjects' attention. Two analyses were conducted: a MANOVA on the pretest/posttest improvement scores and a three factor ANOVA for the session 4/session 8 scores. For the first analysis, follow-up ANOVAs revealed that for forehand and backhand PEIF improved more than either PIF or EIF and that EIF improved more than PIF. For the serve PEIF improved more than PIF and EIF but the latter two were not significantly different. In the three factor ANOVA all main effects were significant: PEIF was better than EIF and both were better than PIF; serve scores were higher than those for groundstrokes; and session 8 scores were higher than those for session 4. In addition, all interactions except that for skill × session were significant. Based on the results it is recommended that in closed skills PEIF or PIF be used but not EIF and in open skills PEIF or EIF be used but not PIF. The results were also discussed with respect to the Gentile (1972)and Schmidt (1975) views on open and closed skills. While there is some support for Gentile's position it was concluded that further research is necessary.     

The effect of video-modelling and video-feedback on the learning of the tennis service by novices

This project is addressed to the effectiveness of video mediated instruction on the learning of the tennis service by novices. The research was carried out in an indoor tennis hall under normal training conditions. Three experimental groups were used: a video-model (VMT), a video-feedback (VFT) and a group with a combination of video modelling and video feedback (VMFT). Two control groups - based on different training periods-were also used: a traditional training group (TT1) which practised for a period of 45 min per training session and a second traditional training group (TT2) which practised for a period of only 30 min per training session. All subjects took part in five successive training sessions. No clear advantages of using video mediated instruction methods in teaching novices the tennis service could be demonstrated. Five sessions of 30 min practical training were shown to be as effective as five sessions of 45 min practical training in producing improvements in both form and achievement scores of novice tennis players. While, in the early stages, form and achievement scores were not shown to be significantly related, after five sessions a significant correlation (P less than 0.05) was shown.     

约束模型视角下幼儿基本动作技能发展的教学干预研究--以山东省潍坊市一农村幼儿园学前儿童为例

目的:初步探索农村地区学前儿童基本动作发展情况,以Newell的约束模型(constraints model)为理论基础,为学前儿童设计发展适宜性的身体活动,并检验为期8周的体育教学活动对幼儿基本动作发展的影响。方法:以山东省潍坊市某农村幼儿园学前儿童(n=109)为研究对象,以班为单位随机分配到实验组(n=54)和对照组(n=55)。实验组儿童参与为期8周的动作技能发展课程,对照组儿童参与幼儿园正常的教学活动。课程开始前和结束后一周内,采用TGMD-2对受试儿童进行测试。结果:1)研究中农村儿童的移动技能和物体控制技能的基线均显著低于TGMD-2的常模。2)经8周基本动作教学,实验组的后测GMQ显著高于对照组(P<0.001),对照组的GMQ在实验前后没有显著差异(P=0.087)。3)性别对教学干预无显著影响(P=0.703);实验组的后测移动技能和物体控制技能得分均显著高于对照组的后测成绩(P<0.001)。结论:研究中农村幼儿的基本动作发展相对滞后,物体控制技能发展水平低下是主要来源;为期8周的基本动作教学活动能够有效地促进农村学前儿童基本动作技能的发展。     

Recreational activities and motor skills of children in kindergarten

Background: Developmental theorists suggest that physical activity during early childhood promotes fundamental motor skill (FMS) proficiency; and that differences in FMS proficiency are largely related to children's experiences.

Aim: To examine associations between participation in different types of recreation/leisure and FMS proficiency of boys and girls in their first year of school. We hypothesized that there would be positive associations between FMS proficiency and participation in organized sport, physical activities, and active physical recreation; but not for other types of recreation/leisure.

Method: Participants (n?=?74) were kindergarten children (Mage?=?5y11?m; boys?=?55%). Parents completed the diversity dimension of the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) survey. The CAPE measures children's participation in everyday activities outside of mandated school activities in the past four months in five types of formal and informal activities, specifically: Recreational activities, Physical activities, Social activities, Skill-Based activities, and Self-Improvement activities. Two categories of activities were also reported: Organized Sport and Active Physical Recreation. Locomotor and object control skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and static balance was assessed using a stork stand. Sex-based differences in motor skills and participation were examined using chi-squared analyses. Correlation coefficients were used to examine relationships between motor skills and CAPE sub-domains and categories. Linear regression was used to examine whether the type of activity predicted motor skill proficiency and the reverse.

Results: There were no sex-based differences in locomotor skills; whereas boys' object control skill scores were significantly higher than girls, and girls' stork stand scores were higher than boys'. Although there were no sex-based differences in the more active categories of recreational pastimes; girls participated in significantly more formal and informal dance and the prevalence of participation in team sports was significantly higher for boys. For boys, participation in physical activities predicted both locomotor and object control skill scores, organized sport predicted object control skills, and active recreation predicted stork stand times and object control skill scores. These relationships were not evident among the girls.

Conclusions: These findings illustrate that young children participate in a narrower array of physically active recreational pursuits compared with less active pursuits. There were notable sex-based differences in the relationships between participation and motor skill proficiency. For girls, none of the associations between recreational pastimes and motor skill proficiency were significant. This suggests that the motor proficiency of girls, as assessed in this study, is neither a precursor to, nor an outcome of, participation in active recreational pastimes. Contrastingly, the findings for boys support theory that suggests that physical activity is driving the acquisition of particular types of motor skills. Less active recreational activities were not associated with motor skill levels of boys, whereas each of the more active categories of recreational pastimes (active recreation, physical activities, and organized sport) predicted at least one sub-type of motor skill. It also seems clear from our findings that more light needs to be shed on how to optimally portray young girls' motor skill proficiency; as well as the relationships between their participation and motor skills.     

Comparison of Three Human Sexuality Teaching Methods Used in University Health Classes

Three teaching methods (lecture, independent study combined with small-group discussion, and audiovisual) were compared for knowledge gain and attitude change. The investigation involved 62 undergraduate university students enrolled in three personal health classes. A pretest, treatment application, and posttest format was employed. An adapted version of the Sex Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire was used as the evaluation instrument in all testing sessions. The one-way analysis of covariance was applied to compare both knowledge and attitude results. Application of the Tukey test demonstrated that the lecture method of instruction was significantly more effective in producing sexuality-knowledge gain than was the audiovisual teaching approach. No further comparisons of knowledge gain and no comparison of attitude change yielded significant results.     

Instructional Climates in Preschool Children Who Are At-Risk. Part II

In Part II of this study, we examined the effect of two 9-week instructional climates (low-autonomy [LA] and mastery motivational climate [MMC]) on perceived physical competence (PPC) in preschoolers (N = 117). Participants were randomly assigned to an LA, MMC, or comparison group. PPC was assessed by a pretest, posttest, and retention test with the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance. A significant Treatment × Time interaction (p < .001) was present, supporting that MMC participants reported significantly higher PPC scores over time, while no positive changes were present in LA and comparison participants. The results show that an MMC leads to psychological benefits related to achievement motivation. These findings should encourage early childhood educators to consider the effect of instructional climates on children's self-perception.     

Comparison of Motor Ability,New Motor Skill Learning,and Adjustment to a Rearranged Visual Field

Abstract

The ability of 48 college women to adjust hand-eye coordination in a rearranged visual field was compared with ability to learn a new motor skill and with present level of motor ability. The measuring instruments utilized included the Scott motor ability test, Moody's new motor skill learning test, and a variation of the mirror-box test of Held and Gottlieb. Subjects were exposed for one minute to each of four experimental treatments—moving chessmen and throwing a ball performed both while wearing prism-glasses and without wearing these glasses. Subjects received one treatment per day, two days per week; the treatments were repeated in the same order and sequence, making a total of eight experimental sessions. The findings did not justify the conclusion that a relationship exists between motor ability or new motor skill learning and ability to adjust to a rearranged visual field. Wearing prism-glasses did not result in a consistent amount of visual rearrangement with each subject.     

An investigation into teaching games for understanding: effects on skill, knowledge, and game play.

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the games for understanding model by comparing it to a technique approach to instruction and a control group. The technique method focused primarily on skill instruction where the skill taught initially was incorporated into a game at the end of each lesson. The games for understanding approach emphasized developing tactical awareness and decision making in small game situations. Two physical education specialists taught field hockey using these approaches for 15 lessons (45 min each). The control group did not receive any field hockey instruction. Data were collected from 71 middle school children. Pretests and posttests were administered for hockey knowledge, skill, and game performance. Separate analyses of variance or analyses of covariance were conducted to examine group differences for cognitive and skill outcomes. The games for understanding group scored significantly higher on passing decision making than the technique and control groups during posttest game play and significantly higher than the control group for declarative and procedural knowledge. The games for understanding group scored significantly higher on control and passing execution than the other groups during posttest game play. For hockey skill, there were no significant differences among the treatment groups for accuracy, but the technique group recorded faster times than the control group on the posttest.     

Occupational Socialization and the Physical Education Student Teacher

The purpose of this study was to assess the physical education student teacher's Pupil Control Ideology (PCI) prior to and after student teaching and to examine the cooperating teacher's role as a socialization agent. PCI was examined by the Pupil Control Ideology Form which assesses the ideology on a continuum from custodialism to humanism. In addition, observational and interview data were collected in order to make further comparisons with PCI data. The results indicate that the subjects (N = 28) became significantly more custodial in their PCI during student teaching. When compared to cooperating teacher scores, student teachers' mean PCI scores were significantly different on pretest analyses (in a humanistic direction), but not on posttest analyses. Furthermore, PCI results from subjects selected for field observation indicated that the humanistic group moved in a custodial direction, while the custodial group moved in a humanistic direction. Finally, observation and interview data support the quantitative findings and the student teacher's maintenance of or shift toward a custodial control ideology, as influenced by the cooperating teacher and other factors particular to the physical education setting.     

A Sport Education Fitness Season’s Impact on Students’ Fitness Levels,Knowledge, and In-Class Physical Activity

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a sport education season of fitness could provide students with recommended levels of in-class moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while also increasing students’ fitness knowledge and fitness achievement. Method: One hundred and sixty-six 5th-grade students (76 boys, 90 girls) participated in a 20-lesson season called “CrossFit Challenge” during a 4-week period. The Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run, push-ups, and curl-ups tests of the FITNESSGRAM® were used to assess fitness at pretest and posttest, while fitness knowledge was assessed through a validated, grade-appropriate test of health-related fitness knowledge (HRF). Physical activity was measured with Actigraph GT3X triaxial accelerometers. Results: Results indicated a significant time effect for all fitness tests and the knowledge test. Across the entire season, the students spent an average of 54.5% of lesson time engaged in MVPA, irrespective of the type of lesson (instruction, free practice, or competition). Conclusions: The results suggest that configuring the key principles of sport education within a unit of fitness is an efficient model for providing students with the opportunity to improve fitness skill and HRF knowledge while attaining recommended levels of MVPA.     

Who SKIPS? Using Temperament to Explain Differential Outcomes of a Motor Competence Intervention for Preschoolers

Purpose: Although motor skill interventions often improve fundamental motor skills (FMS) during preschool, the extent of individual children’s success in development of FMS still varies among children receiving the same intervention. Temperament is multifaceted and includes negative affect (high levels of frustration or anger), effortful control (focus, self-regulation, and concentration), and surgency (energy and activity level). Temperament often influences cognitive, social, and behavioral outcomes and may be a significant factor in the development of FMS. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of temperament on children’s improvement in FMS within a gross motor intervention. Method: Participants (N = 80; M_age = 55.36 months, SD = 6.99 months) completed the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition prior to and after intervention. Teachers completed the Child Behavior Questionnaire-Very Short Form to examine each child’s temperament. To account for possibility of a Type 1 error, we conducted 6 separate 2 (temperament variable: high, low) × 2 (treatment: intervention, control) analyses of covariance and examined posttest scores for locomotor and object-control skills with pretest scores as covariates among participants with high and low surgency, negative affect, and effortful control. Results: Results revealed children with low levels of negative affect and surgency and high levels of effortful control demonstrated greater gains (η_p² = .05–.34) in both locomotor and object-control skills during motor skill intervention compared with their peers. Conclusion: Providing interventions tailored to temperamental profiles could maximize gains in FMS through intervention.     

An analysis of practice activities and instructional behaviours used by youth soccer coaches during practice: Exploring the link between science and application

Abstract

We examined the practice activities and instructional behaviours employed by 25 youth soccer coaches during 70 different practice sessions. We evaluated the extent to which these activities and behaviours differ from those shown in contemporary research to best facilitate skill acquisition. Nine coaches worked with the under-9 years age group and eight coaches each with the under-13 and under-16 years age groups; nine of those coaches were employed at the elite level, nine at the sub-elite level, and seven at the non-elite level. Coaches had players spend more time in activities that were deemed less relevant to soccer match performance, termed “training form” (e.g. physical training, technique and skills practices), than activities deemed more relevant, termed “playing form” (e.g. small-sided/conditioned games and phase of play activities). Coaches provided high levels of instruction, feedback, and management, irrespective of the activity in which players engaged. Few differences in practice activities and instructional behaviours were reported across skill and age groups, implying the absence of any notable age- or skill-related progression. Findings are discussed with reference to recent research in the areas of skill acquisition, motor learning, and expert performance.     

Effect of a storyboarding technique on selected measures of fitness among university employees

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of storyboarding (i.e., participants' written narrative) on improving fitness among university employees over 10 weeks. Groups consisted of storytelling during the program orientation, storytelling plus two coaching sessions, or the normal program only (control). Using difference (pretest from posttest) scores, a one-way multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant differences between groups (p < .01). For percent body fat, only the coached group was statistically superior to the control group (p < .03), while the two experimental groups were statistically similar. For submax VO2, both storyboarding groups were superior to the control group (p < .04). It was concluded that storyboarding may be an effective means for changing selected health behaviors.