Middle and elementary school students’ changes in self-determined motivation in a basketball unit taught using the Tactical Games Model

Studies examining student motivation levels suggest that this is a significant factor in students’ engagement in physical education and may be positively affected when teachers employ alternative pedagogical models such as game-centered approaches (GCAs). The aim of this study was to investigate changes in self-determined motivation of students as they participated in a GCA-basketball unit taught using the Tactical Games Model (TGM). Participants were 173 students (84 girls), 79 middle school (45 girls) and 94 (39 girls) elementary school students from four seventh and five fourth/fifth grade co-educational classes. Two teachers taught 32 (middle) and 33 (elementary) level one TGM basketball lessons. Need satisfaction and self-determined motivation data were collected using a previously validated instrument, while lesson context and teacher behavior data were recorded using systematic observation instruments. Repeated measures MANOVAs were employed to examine pre-posttest differences. Results revealed a significant main effect for time in need satisfaction for both middle (relatedness increased) and elementary school students (autonomy decreased) and a significant main effect in self-determined motivation for middle school students only (introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation all increased). Approximately 48%/42% (middle/elementary) of lesson time was game play, 22%/22% skill practice, 17%/17% management, and 13%/19% knowledge. The primary teacher behaviors used were instruction, management, specific observation, corrective feedback and modelling. Results indicate that it is important for future research to pay greater attention to the contextual factors associated with the application of the TGM, such as the students’ previous exposure to TGM lessons, and the teachers’ training and experience in utilizing the TGM. Indeed, results of the present study demonstrate that a longer-term commitment to the TGM is necessary to reduce controlling teacher behaviors, which will lead to positive changes in students’ need satisfaction and self-determined motivation. Future research is therefore needed to embrace this challenge to provide an increased evidence-base for GCAs such as the TGM

Efecto de un programa de supervisión reflexiva, en entrenamiento, sobre las variables cognitivas en jugadoras de voleibol

INTRODUCCIÓN: En los deportes colectivos, las variables cognitivas tienen una relevancia fundamental (Macquet, 2009). Así, las estructuras de conocimiento almacenadas en la memoria determinan la toma de decisión, de modo que, cuanto más variado sea el conocimiento, mejor será la toma de decisiones, y mayor nivel de pericia deportiva mostrarán (Nielsen y McPherson, 2001). Dada la importancia de dichas variables sobre el rendimiento deportivo, el objetivo del estudio fue analizar la influencia de un programa de intervención, basado en la reflexión y con empleo del vídeo-feedback, sobre el conocimiento procedimental y la toma de decisiones en el ataque en voleibol. MÉTODO: Participaron 8 jugadoras de voleibol distribuidas en dos grupos, experimental (n=4) y control (n=4). La variable independiente fue el programa de supervisión reflexiva, aplicado en tiempo real de juego, basado en el análisis de la decisión mediante el empleo del vídeo-feedback. Las variables dependientes fueron: conocimiento procedimental y toma de decisiones. El conocimiento procedimental se refiere al conocimiento sobre cómo actuar (Abernethy et al., 2003) e incluye, tanto la representación de problemas tácticos, como la planificación de estrategias para solventarlos. Se evaluó mediante el protocolo verbal de McPherson (2000), analizando tres niveles: contenido, sofisticación y estructura conceptual. La toma de decisiones se define como la selección de una acción entre varias alternativas (Tenembaum, 2004) y fue evaluada mediante el GPAI de Oslin et al. (1998), adaptado para el ataque por Moreno et al. (2011). RESULTADOS: El grupo experimental, respecto al grupo control, mejoró significativamente en: representación de problemas (total de condiciones, p=.029; condiciones con dos o más detalles, p=.029; estructura triple, p=.017); planificación de estrategias (total de condiciones, p=.038; estructura triple, p=.013) y toma de decisiones (p=.015). DISCUSIÓN: El programa de intervención, aplicado en tiempo real y basado en el análisis y vídeo-feedback es una herramienta viable y eficaz para el desarrollo de las variables cognitivas en deportistas de categoría de formación. Este tipo de intervenciones, tanto en entrenamiento como en competición, tienen una relevancia fundamental para la optimización del desempeño táctico en acciones técnico-tácticas de alta velocidad de ejecución, como es el ataque en voleibol (Kenny et al., 2006; Moreno et al., 2011).INTRODUCTION: In team sports, cognitive variables have a fundamental relevance (Macquet, 2009). Regarding the decision-making process, the greater and more varied the knowledge is, the better the decision-making of the athlete will be and the greater the level of sport expertise will be demostrated (Nielsen & McPherson, 2001). Due to the importance of cognitive variables on sport performance, the aim or this research was to analyze the effects of an intervention program, based on reflection and the use of video-feedback, on procedural knowledge and decision-making in spike in volleyball. METHOD: The study sample was composed of 8 volleyball players distributed in two groups: experimental (n=4) and control (n=4). The independent variable was mentoring through reflection, in real time, based on the analysis of the decision through the use of video-feedback. The dependent variables were: procedural knowledge and decision-making. The procedural knowledge is identified as “Know how”. This knowledge includes the representation of tactical problems, and planning strategies to resolve them. The procedural knowledge was evaluated through verbal report of McPherson (2000) analyzing three levels: conceptual content, conceptual sophistication and conceptual structure. Decision-making is defined as the action selection among alternatives (Tenenbaum, 2004). Decision-making was evaluated through GPAI (Oslin et al., 1998), adapted to spike action by Moreno et al. (2011). RESULTS: The experimental group, with regard to control group, significantly improved in: problem representation (total conditions, p=.017; appropriate condition with two features, p=.029; triple-concept linkages, p=.017); planning strategies (total conditions, p=.038; triple-concept linkages, p=.013) and decision-making (p=.015). DISCUSSION: The intervention program applied in real time and based in the analysis and video-feedback is an effective tool for development of the cognitive variables with athletes in formative stages. This type of intervention, both in training and competition, is essential to optimize the tactic behavior in actions with high speed of execution, as the spike in volleyball (Kenny et al., 2006; Moreno et al., 2011)

Nuevos retos y perspectivas de investigación en Educación Física

Actividad Física y Deport

Motivation, Discipline, and Academic Performance in Physical Education: A Holistic Approach From Achievement Goal and Self-Determination Theories.

The analysis of disciplined behaviors and academic performance in a school context has become one of the main concerns within the educational community. Physical Education is highlighted as a key subject to analyze students’ behavior. Researchers and Physical Education teachers are interested on the motivational processes that predict positive student outcomes in order to support them. Thus, the main purpose was to determine a predictive model of disciplined behaviors and academic performance in Physical Education students. The Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory acted as the theoretical framework. A total of 919 Spanish secondary school students participated in the study. The studied variables were task-oriented motivational climate, basic psychological needs, autonomous motivation, disciplined behavior, and academic performance. Data collection included Spanish validated questionnaires. The Mplus statistical program was used to perform a structural equation model of prediction. It included antecedents (task-oriented climate), motivational processes (basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation), and consequences (disciplined behavior, Physical Education and overall students’ performance). The results revealed that positive outcomes (discipline and academic performance in Physical Education) were positively predicted by autonomous motivation; autonomous motivation was positively predicted by basic psychological needs and these, in addition, by the task-oriented climate. The results highlighted the importance of the task-oriented motivational climate and the mediating role of the basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation in order to generate these positive student outcomes in Physical Education. This study could be a useful resource for teachers, since it offers the motivational variables that lead students to achieve disciplined behaviors and academic performance in Physical Education. Intervention programs based on the results of the present study could be applied in Physical Education classes in order to obtain better behavioral as well as cognitive positive student outcomes.post-print512 K

Developing sport expertise in youth sport: a decision training program in basketball

Background. This study has analyzed the impact of applying a decision training program, in which video-feedback and questioning were used, on the development of decision-making, skill execution and procedural knowledge in basketball players. Methods. Participants were eleven male players aged between 12 and 13 years old (Mage D12:75, SDage D:65), who were assigned to an experimental or control group within a pre-test/intervention test/retention test quasi-experimental design. The decision training program was applied over 11 weeks. Throughout this intervention, players had to analyze the causes and reasons for the decision made, using video feedback and questioning to this end. Decision-making and skill execution variables were analyzed using the French & Thomas (1987) observation instrument, while a validated questionnaire was used to assess procedural knowledge in basketball. Results. The results reported that sport expertise improved in players from the experimental group, who had significantly higher intervention test scores for successful decisions and skill executions when compared to players in the control group. In the intra-group analysis, the experimental group significantly improved in the intervention test compared to the pre-test, in terms of some of the variables of decision-making, skill execution and procedural knowledge. Discussion. These results reinforce the idea of including cognitive tools in training, such as video-feedback and questioning, to improve sport expertise in players' formative stages, and presumably to improve their performance whilst maintaining decision training throughout time

Can a hybrid sport education/teaching games for understanding volleyball unit be more effective in less motivated students? An examination into a set of motivation-related variables

Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study aims to examine whether the effects of a hybrid Sport Education (SE)/Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) a volleyball teaching unit were equally effective on a set of SDT-related variables according to students'' initial motivations. A pre-experimental pre-/post-test design without a control group was conducted in a volleyball teaching unit in Physical Education. A final sample of 49 students (M = 15.50, SD = 0.57), in their fourth year of secondary education, participated in a hybrid SE/TGfU volleyball teaching unit composed of 10 lessons. The structure of this unit was designed according to the characteristics of an SE model, while learning tasks were designed using the TGfU model. Different validated questionnaires on basic psychological need (BPN) support and satisfaction, novelty and variety satisfaction, motivation, and intention to be physically active were completed by students. Three different profiles with different Relative Autonomy Index (RAI) levels (i.e., "high", "moderate", and "low") were identified through cluster analysis before starting the intervention. Although the SE/TGfU of a volleyball teaching unit were effective in improving SDT-related variables in the three profiles identified, a large effect size was observed in profiles with a "moderate" or "low" RAI. The hybridization of these two pedagogical models could be a tool for improving motivational outcomes in students who are less motivated in Physical Education lessons

Impact of a hybrid TGfU-sport education unit on student motivation in physical education

Los modelos pedagógicos de los Juegos de enseñanza para la comprensión (TGfU) y la Educación deportiva (SE) comparten varios objetivos y procesos pedagógicos. A pesar de esta relación aparentemente extraña, pocos estudios han examinado la eficacia de un modelo pedagógico híbrido TGfU / SE, en particular cómo la utilización de dicho modelo por parte de un profesor tiene un impacto en la motivación de los estudiantes. El propósito del presente estudio fue investigar el efecto de una unidad híbrida TGfU / SE, en comparación con la instrucción directa, sobre las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre diversos aspectos de su motivación para participar en educación física (motivación autónoma, necesidades psicológicas básicas, disfrute e intención). estar físicamente activo). Se utilizó un diseño cruzado, utilizando la técnica de contrabalanceo. Un grupo experimentó primero una unidad híbrida SE / TGfU, seguida de una unidad de instrucción directa. Un segundo grupo experimentó las unidades en el orden opuesto. Los participantes fueron 55 estudiantes. La intervención se realizó sobre un total de 16 lecciones. La unidad híbrida se diseñó de acuerdo con las características de la SE mediante el uso de temporadas, roles, equipos persistentes, etc. Sin embargo, las tareas de aprendizaje establecidas por el profesor durante las lecciones individuales se diseñaron de acuerdo con los principios pedagógicos de TGfU. Los datos de motivación de los estudiantes se generaron mediante cuestionarios validados. Los resultados mostraron que, independientemente del orden de intervención, los dos grupos mostraron mejoras significativas en la autonomía, la competencia y el disfrute cuando se les enseñó utilizando el modelo híbrido. En cambio, en las variables motivación autónoma, relación e intención de ser físicamente activos no hubo mejoras significativas en un grupo. Estos resultados demuestran que es posible diseñar situaciones de aprendizaje variadas en las que se fomenta la afiliación, el liderazgo y la confianza, mientras que las tareas se adaptan a las características de los estudiantes. Todo esto puede causar una mayor motivación autónoma y, en consecuencia, una competencia percibida en el estudiante, una imagen positiva del deporte para practicar y, por lo tanto, un mayor disfrute y estar físicamente activos.The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) and Sport Education (SE) pedagogical models share several objectives and pedagogical processes. Despite this seemingly uncanny relationship, few studies have examined the efficacy of a hybrid TGfU/SE pedagogical model, particularly how a teacher's utilization of such a model impacts on student motivation. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect a hybrid TGfU/SE unit, in comparison to direct instruction, on students' perceptions of various aspects of their motivation to engage in physical education (autonomous motivation, basic psychological needs, enjoyment and intention to be physically active). A crossover design was utilized, using the technique of counterbalancing. One group experienced a hybrid SE/TGfU unit first, followed by a unit of direct instruction. A second group experienced the units in the opposite order. Participants were 55 students. The intervention was conducted over a total of 16 lessons. The hybrid unit was designed according to the characteristics of SE by using seasons, roles, persistent teams, etc. Learning tasks set by the teacher during individual lessons, however, were designed according to the pedagogical principles of TGfU. Student motivation data was generated using validated questionnaires. Results showed that regardless of the order of intervention, the two groups showed significant improvements in autonomy, competence and enjoyment when they were taught using the hybrid model. Instead, in the variables autonomous motivation, relatedness and intention to be physically active there were no significant improvements in one group. These results demonstrate that it is possible to design varied learning situations in which affiliation, leadership and trust are fostered, while tasks are adapted to the characteristics of the students. All this can cause greater autonomous motivation, and consequently, perceived competence in the student, a positive image of the sport to practice, and therefore greater enjoyment and to be physically active.peerReviewe

Variables asociadas con el error-continuidad de saque en voleibol, en etapas de formación. Variables associated with error-continuity of service in volleyball in stages of training

El objetivo principal de esta investigación fue analizar la asociación de variables propias del saque con la eficacia (error/continuidad) del mismo, en etapas de formación. Se empleó una muestra de 4427 saques, correspondientes a la observación de los 66 equipos participantesen el Campeonato España de Selecciones autonómicas en categoría infantil y cadete. Las variables de estudio fueron: zona de origen del saque, tipo de saque, función del sacador y la eficacia de saque (error/continuidad). Los resultados determinaron una asociación significativa entre las variables tipo de saque y función en juego del sacador, con la eficacia del saque. Concretamente, el saque en salto potente y la función en juego de receptor-atacante se asociaron de manera significativa y positiva con el error de saque y de manera significativa y negativa con la continuidad del mismo. Por ello, concluimos que el saque en salto potente, es el tipo de saque con el que más errores se comete (Costa, Mesquita, Greco, Ferreira, & Moraes, 2011) y que el jugador receptor-atacante se caracteriza como el jugador que máserrores comente en la realización de esta acción técnico táctica, en línea con lo que acontece en alto nivel (Quiroga et. al, 2010)

Intervención en la toma de decisiones en jugadores de voleibol en etapas de formación

The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of a mentoring through reflection programme on decisionmaking during attacks in volleyball players' formative stages. The participants were 8 players from the same team, divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 4) and a control group (n = 4). The programme consisted of viewing and later reflecting in different individual mentoring meetings on the players' appropriate and inappropriate attack actions during competition. The results of this study found that players who were exposed to the treatment significantly improved after the mentoring protocol intervention. Research based on reflective mentoring protocols in sports actions may be a complementary tool to improve the cognitive and decision-making skills of players in formative stages

Manipulation of the task constraints in Physical Education: A proposal from nonlinear pedagogy

El objetivo del estudio fue analizar el efecto de manipulación de diferentes condicionantes de la tarea, tales como, espacio de juego, altura de la red y número de participantes, sobre la toma de decisiones y la eficacia de la acción de ataque en voleibol. Se planteó un diseño pre-experimental en el que participaron 22 alumnos de Educación Física con una edad comprendida entre los 12 y 13 años. La variable independiente fue un programa de intervención aplicado durante las 9 sesiones de una Unidad Didáctica, la cual fue diseñada en base a los principios metodológicos de la pedagogía no lineal, centrándose fundamentalmente en manipular diferentes condicionantes de la tarea. Las variables dependientes fueron la toma de decisiones y la eficacia en la acción de ataque. Ambas variables fueron evaluadas a partir de la observación sistemática, utilizando el «Game Performance Assesment Instrument» (GPAI) (Oslin, Mitchell, & Griffin, 1998) para la toma de decisiones y el «Team Sports Assesment Procedure» (TSAP) (Gréhaigne et al., 1997) para la eficacia de la acción de ataque. Los resultados del estudio determinaron que todos los participantes manifestaron una mejora significativa,tanto en la toma de decisiones como en la eficacia en la acción de ataque entre la medida pre-test y pos-test. Respecto a estos resultados, el profesor de Educación Física, con el propósito de hacer progresar a los alumnos en su competencia táctica, debe diseñar tareas motrices que sean representativas del juego real y cuya complejidad táctica sea adaptada al nivel de aprendizaje de los discentes.The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of manipulating different task constraints, such as play space, net height and number of participants on decision-making and efficacy in the attack action in volleyball. A pre-experimental design, in which 22 students aged between 12 and 13 years participated, was implemented. The independent variable was an intervention program applied during the 9 sessions of a teaching unit, which was designed based on the methodological principles of nonlinear pedagogy, focusing primarily on manipulating the different task constraints referred to above. The dependent variables were the decision-making and the efficacy in the attack action. Both variables were evaluated through the systematic observation of the game action, using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI; Oslin, Mitchell, & Griffin, 1998) for decision-making and the Team Sports Assessment Procedure (TSAP; Gréhaigne et al., 1997) for the efficacy of the attack action. The results of the study showed that all participants improved both decision making and efficacy between the pre-test and post-test measures. Regarding these results, Physical Education teachers, with the purpose of advancing students in the tactical competence, should design tasks representative of the game and with a tactical complexity adapted to the learning level of the students.peerReviewe