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

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 of ‘Intercultural Movement Education’ (IME). The developed games tend to trigger ‘crises’ with the aim to insecure students. These experienced insecurities were afterwards reflected upon with the students. The internal control group (N?=?63; mean age?=?11.8 years (SD?=?0.62)) and external control group (N?=?93; mean age?=?10.8 years (SD?=?0.69)) were taught in a unspecific manner. The impact of the intervention study programme was tested with a reliable and valid questionnaire. Results: A significant time by group interaction effect for the subscale ‘assimilation/segregation’ of acculturation attitudes was found in boys and in girls. The attitudes increased significantly after the intervention. For the girls, the intervention group showed also a significant decrease of the attitude ‘integration’. No significant impact of the intervention study on the attitudes towards cultural diversity could be identified either with boys or girls. Discussion: The effects of the study are ambivalent. The significantly increased assimilative attitudes can be interpreted as a need for a sense of security. This is also underlined by the decrease of the integration attitude that values the maintenance of cultural integrity. It must be critically discussed whether the ‘crises’ were too intense and not adapted to the children’s skills to overcome them. Second, we have to critically analyse whether the discussions with the students about their experiences were sufficiently focused to debrief the students. Summary for practitioners: The competence to handle heterogeneity – the so-called intercultural competence – is a key competence for children and youths. Sports and PE are often considered as a particular field for enhancing intercultural competence. However, until now there has been no theory-based empirical study that proves this assumption. This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of an intervention programme on intercultural learning in PE along the didactic guidelines of IME. This programme tries to trigger ‘crises’ that stimulate the students to react and think about their self- and world relations. The statistical analyses show that the ‘crises’ were probably too intense as the students’ scores in assimilation attitudes increased. This lead to the didactical reflection of the implementation of intercultural learning processes in PE.     

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

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; handball: d?=?1.87 and d?=?0.57 for PE-3 and PE-2, respectively), and no changes were seen in CG. In soccer, there were improvements only in the PE-3 (d?=?0.55), and in basketball only in PE-2 (d?=?0.46). There were no changes in any group for track-and-field skills.

Conclusions: PE programs can effectively promote PF and MS development.     

Evaluating quality of implementation in physical activity interventions based on theories of motivation: current challenges and future directions

The evidence base pointing towards the maladaptive health consequences of an inactive lifestyle highlights the need for interventions that are effective in changing and maintaining physical activity behaviours. Theories of motivation are frequently applied to inform the content and delivery of such interventions. Systematic monitoring and evaluation of the quality of intervention implementation is therefore an important step in understanding if and how theories of motivation can be adopted and effectively applied to promote and/or sustain physical activity behaviours. However, intervention implementation quality in studies that aim to apply motivation theory to promote physical activity is often under-reported. The purpose of this article is, first, to review contemporary approaches used to monitor and evaluate intervention implementation; we outline the degree to which these methods have been used effectively in research concerned with applying theories of motivation to impact physical activity behaviours. Second, we identify and discuss specific challenges in effectively measuring quality of implementation faced by researchers who adopt a motivation theory basis to their work. Finally, recommendations for methods to monitor and evaluate intervention implementation in future trials aiming to promote physical activity based on theories of motivation are also proposed.     

建设校本特色课程视域下我国民族传统体育资源的应用研究*

民族传统体育是中华传统体育文化的重要组成部分,是各民族文化的综合体现和精神家园.通过文献资料、逻辑分析等研究方法,对我国民族传统体育与校本特色课程协同发展的关联性进行了探讨.指出:(1)民族传统体育并不仅仅是一种"体育"资源,更是一种传统文化"传承"教育资源.(2)开发应用民族传统体育资源,促进学校体育与民族体育接轨发展,建构校本特色体育课程,是学校体育教育与民族传统体育实现"双赢"的基本路径.(3)构建特色民族传统体育校本课程,不能流于形式,应因地制宜、因势利导.     

基于SEM模型的中学生体育健康行为调查研究

运用文献资料法、数理统计法、调查法,根据我国健康行为教育开展情况,构建中学生体育健康行为干预模型,通过分析模型得出对中学生体育健康行为干预首要考虑的是情绪调控,其次分别是健康知识、锻炼意识及环境适应,并给出在体育教学中实际中学生健康行为发展干预的相关建议,明确体育健康行为教育的目的性、有效性,为当前学校体育教育落实提升学生核心素养提供力所能及的帮助。     

太极拳对下背痛干预效果的元分析

背景:近年来有关太极拳治疗腰痛患者的实验研究不断增多,受限于实验条件的差异,不同的实验的总效果量难以衡量,不同类型的实验也难以横向比较.目的:本研究使用元分析从下背痛患者疼痛程度、腰椎功能两个方面,评价太极拳及其联合治疗对下背痛患者的干预效果.方法:检索了Web ofScience、PubMed、中国知网、万方4个电子...     

Tilting at Windmills

No abstract available for this article.     

What is a dysfunctional school?

Abstract

Whether or not a school is dysfunctional depends largely on how dysfunctionality in schools is defined and measured. Dysfunctionality, as any construct, is subject to definition and interpretation, and it is thus always marked by perspectivism. But regardless of the definition games occasionally played by academics, some form of reality takes place beyond the constructivist horizon. Moreover, perspectivism and definition games may justify and even create adverse consequences within a school's lived reality. A definition focussing on Grade 12 pass rates, for example, tends to implicate teachers, while a definition focussing on infrastructure tends to exculpate teachers and incriminate government and administration. Accordingly, this article will not end but begin with the adage that a dysfunctional school is what one defines a dysfunctional school to be, and it will explore the conditions and consequences of conceptual variations.     

体育锻炼和认知干预对贫困大学生心理健康的研究

通过各种量表、问卷、试验干预和数理统计等方法对贫困大学生进行调查、试验研究发现:认知行为疗法较体育锻炼能更有效地提高贫困生的心理健康;体育锻炼和认知行为疗法手段的综合运用,比单一采用一种干预方式也更加有效。     

小学生耐挫力品质干预研究综述

通过文献法和逻辑分析法,以干预场所为视角,梳理和对比国内外有关小学生耐挫力干预理念、干预手段、干预方法、干预成效的研究成果,为进一步提高和改善小学生耐挫力提供理论依据和实践参考。