Promoting schoolchildren’s self-esteem in physical education: testing the effectiveness of a five-month teacher training

ABSTRACT

Background: Schoolchildren’s personality development is considered a central goal of physical education (PE). With regard to the relationship between psychological well-being and global self-esteem over the life course, the promotion of positive self-esteem is an issue of particular significance. Past research revealed that PE taught with an individualized teacher frame of reference (iTFR) and a reflexive teaching style is associated with positive effects on facets of children’s perceived sports competence. However, it remains an open question whether this teaching styles has the potential to promote positive self-esteem.

Purpose: The present study investigated whether a five-month teacher training, aimed to enhance the teachers’ iTFR and their reflexive teaching style in PE, has a positive effect on students’ perceived sports competence and their global self-esteem. To analyse the implementation quality, changes in students’ perceived iTFR and perceived reflexive teaching style were investigated.

Method: A total of 21 teachers were assigned to either an intervention group (n?=?13), receiving the five-month teacher training, or a control group (n?=?8) consisting of regular teaching without teacher training. The teacher training encompassed five three-hour consecutive sessions during which the teachers acquired theoretical and practical knowledge about the promotion of competence perceptions in PE with a reflexive teaching style and an iTFR. Between the sessions, the teachers were instructed to implement an iTFR and a reflexive teaching style into their own PE classes. To evaluate the effects of the teacher training, their students’ (N?=?315, 53.7% girls, M_age?=?13.2 y, SD_age?=?1.3 y) perceived teaching style (iTFR and reflexive teaching), perceived sports competence and global self-esteem were measured with paper-pencil questionnaires at three measurement points (pre, post and follow-up).

Findings: Linear mixed effect models showed that students of the intervention group reported an increase in their teachers’ reflexive teaching style, but there were no changes with regard to iTFR. With regard to students’ perceived sports competence and global self-esteem, there were significant interaction effects between time and group over a period of eight months (from pre-test to follow-up), indicating positive effects on these self-concept dimensions due to the teacher training.

Conclusion: The present study indicates that a long-term teacher training supports PE teachers to implement teaching styles with the aim to promote students’ self-concept. Furthermore, the findings lead to the assumption that a more pronounced iTFR in combination with an enhanced reflexive teaching style has the potential to positively influence schoolchildren’s perceived sports competence and global self-esteem.     

Association of different types of playing surfaces with bone mass in growing girls

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare bone mass in young female athletes playing ball games on different types of playing surfaces. About 120 girls, 9–13 years of age (10.6 ± 1.5 years old Tanner I–III) were recruited and divided into prepubertal and pubertal groups. The sample represented 3 groups of athletes: soccer (N = 40), basketball (N = 40), and handball (N = 40); and 6 different playing surfaces (soccer – ground, soccer – artificial turf, basketball – synthetic, basketball – parquet, handball – synthetic, and handball – smooth concrete). Total and regional body composition (bone mass, fat mass, and lean mass) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The mechanical properties of the surfaces (force reduction, vertical deformation, and energy return) were measured with the Advanced Artificial Athlete (Triple A) method. The degree of sexual development was determined using Tanner test. The pubertal group showed that soccer players on the ground, basketball players on synthetic, and handball players on smooth concrete had higher values of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) (P < 0.05) than the soccer players on the artificial turf, basketball players on parquet, and handball players on synthetic. In conclusion, a hard playing surface, with less vertical deformation and force reduction, and greater energy return, is associated with higher levels of BMD and BMC in growing girls, regardless of the sport they practice.     

Self-efficacy, job satisfaction, motivation and commitment: exploring the relationships between indicators of teachers’ professional identity

This study investigates how relevant indicators of teachers’ sense of their professional identity (job satisfaction, occupational commitment, self-efficacy and change in level of motivation) are related. A model is proposed, tested with structural equation modelling (SEM) and refined using data from 1,214 Dutch teachers working in secondary education. Classroom self-efficacy and relationship satisfaction play a key influencing role in the relationships between the indicators. Using multiple-group SEM, the parameters of the overall model are similar for the novice, experienced and senior teachers in a constrained model. This aspect of similarity across experience groups is in line with findings of previous research on teachers’ professional identity. The present study contributes to the further development of a solid theory on teachers’ professional identity, which has been lacking.     

Relations Between Parenting Quality and Cognitive Performance of Children Experiencing Varying Amounts of Childcare

Associations between parenting quality and 3-year-olds' school readiness, receptive, and expressive language were examined in relation to the amount of time they spent in childcare, based on data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development ( N = 1,364). Associations for school readiness and receptive language were stronger among children who experienced medium amounts of childcare than among children who experienced high amounts of childcare, and they were not weaker than among children who experienced primarily maternal care. Contrary to expectations, the association between parenting quality and school readiness among children who experienced medium amounts of childcare was significantly stronger than among children who experienced predominantly maternal care.     

Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Based Group Intervention On College Students

Increases in the number of college students seeking mental health services require counseling centers to explore innovative strategies to provide effective and efficient treatments. Group interventions offer an alternative to traditional individual counseling, allowing centers to serve more students with fewer clinical staff (Burlingame et al., 2016). Of current group modalities, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been growing in popularity as an effective approach for addressing college students’ increasingly complex needs. This study describes the evaluation of a three-session mindfulness-based intervention on students’ mindfulness, symptoms, and stress. Compared to a comparison group of 109 students not seeking counseling center services, 78 students who received the intervention reported increased mindfulness, and decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress at the end of the group. Furthermore, improvements in mindfulness mediated intervention effects on symptoms of depression and anxiety. These gains were generally maintained 3 weeks later. These findings support the benefits of brief group interventions for college students. Suggestions for modifications to the intervention and for future research are discussed.     

THE SWISS SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION

We have received numerous requests to present in “Higher Education in Europe”, in relatively short form, the main features of higher education systems in the different countries of the Unesco European Region.

As partial response to these requests, we present below a survey on the Swiss system of higher education, written for “Higher Education in Europe” by Dr. Esther C. Garke from the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science, and CEPES Liaison Officer in Switzerland.

We also take this opportunity to invite our readers to provide us with papers or documents for similar presentations.     

The Career Maturity of Singaporean Adolescents — Where do We Stand and What Can be Done?

This study investigated the cognitive, attitudinal and behavioural aspects of the career maturity of 1380 secondary school and junior college students.

The findings reveal a general weakness in career exploration and in the students' development of career decision-making skills. While no significant gender differences can be observed, there is strong evidence to indicate that career development does mature with age. The findings also suggest a positive association between career maturity and academic performance and between career maturity and parental involvement. Among the resource persons identified, teachers are the least consulted. They are also rated as the least helpful source of career information.

In the light of these findings, implications for the planning and implementation of career guidance in schools to enhance the career maturity of the students are discussed and suggestions made.     

Structure and Agency in Adolescents’ Expectations of Pursuing Post-secondary Education

Research in Higher Education - Past studies have supported the view that parent background and family socioeconomic status determine the post-secondary educational expectations of adolescents. They...