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

Abstract

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.

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

“…The SE model and the TGfU model share common pedagogical characteristics, which help PE teachers comply with the curricular elements described in current educational frameworks. According a previous systematic review about the hybridization of pedagogical models [10] there are only two studies that have analyzed the effect of hybrid SE/TGfU teaching units on a set of SDT-related variables [32,33]. In the study by Gil-Arias et al [33], the students who received the SE/TGfU teaching unit obtained significant improvements in autonomy and competence satisfaction, as well as enjoyment, compared with students who had received a technical models-based teaching unit within a cross-over designed study.…”

“…According a previous systematic review about the hybridization of pedagogical models [10], only two previous intervention studies have examined the effects of hybrid SE/TGfU teaching units in PE lessons on SDT-related variables [32,33]. None of them have examined their effects according to the initial motivational profiles found in the students.…”

“…This training process lasted for four weeks and 16 h, and it was given by a research team with experience in implementing teaching units based on SE and/or TGfU models and guided by SDT framework. During the first two weeks, the PE teacher spent about four hours reading different manuscripts related to the TGfU model (e.g., [12]), SE model (e.g., [49]), and hybrid SE/TGfU models (e.g., [10,33]). The PE teacher was given examples of hybrid TGfU/SE teaching units.…”

The Sport Education Model in Elementary and Secondary Education: A Systematic Review

“…The majority of the studies used a mixed methods research methodology (47,36%), followed by quantitative or qualitative methods alone (26,31% each one). Among the quantitative methods used to assess the SEM impact on the students there were performance tasks, tests or questionnaires such as the "Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale" (VLACHOPOULOS; MICHAILIDOU, 2006) used by Gil-Arias et al (2017), or the "Sport Education benchmark observation instrument" (SINELNIKOV, 2009) used by Romar, Sarén and Hastie (2016). Among the qualitative methods used, there were interviews (ARAÚJO et al, 2017), discussion groups or drawings (MÉNDEZ-GIMÉNEZ; MARTÍNEZ, 2017).…”

Empowering Athletes with the Sport Education Model in Youth Soccer

“…Nevertheless, the significance of empowerment and autonomy support has also received research attention with using game-centered approaches in teaching physical education. Results have shown higher physical activity levels [9] and also an increased intrinsic motivation level [10][11][12] with such a teaching focus. As a summary, researchers [13,14] highlighted the role of practitioners in providing autonomy support, structure, and involvement to athletes which means that coaches, for example, provide opportunities for choices, give athletes opportunities to take initiatives, and avoid using controlling motivational strategies.…”