The effects of a sport education season on empathy and assertiveness

Abstract

Background: One of the objectives of the new Spanish Education Act is for students to develop a series of social skills, largely derived from the ability variables of assertiveness and empathy. Sport Education is an instructional model that is deemed useful in the development of personal and social responsibility and social values. It requires interaction among students during group activities as there are many roles and responsibilities involved. Previous research on Sport Education reveals links between certain results and empathy and assertiveness, although no specific studies have been conducted. Purpose: The aim of this research study is to analyse the effect of a Sport Education season on student empathy and assertiveness. Participants and setting: Sport Education was implemented in seven intact groups at five different schools in central Spain. 154 subjects (76 boys and 78 girls) participated in this study, 34 of whom were in primary education year 5 (11 years), 98 in primary education year 6 (12 years) and 22 in secondary education year 2 (14 years). Research design: A single treatment pre-post-test design was applied, in which the tests for measuring the dependent variables (empathy and assertiveness) influenced by the independent variable (the Sport Education season) were applied before, during and at the end of the programme. Data collection: The Empathy Questionnaire and the Children's Assertiveness Behaviour Scale were used to measure dependent variables. Data analysis: For group/team data, analysis of variance was conducted to determine the influence of Sport Education on empathy and assertiveness. For individual students, repeated measures analysis of variance were utilised to measure the influence of factors, such as gender and role at the various points at which the programme was applied (pre-test and post-test). Findings: Positive results were obtained in assertiveness, where differences were significant between pre-test and post-test, although the effect size differed from case to case. Group and team were key aspects when differences were significant. Conclusions and implications: Sport Education was shown to be a useful instructional model for improving a variable (assertiveness) directly related to personal and social responsibility. Nevertheless, in order to achieve these results, teachers need to design and apply pedagogical strategies routinely, and pay very close attention to the dynamics created in the classroom. Further research involving more specific testing of classroom situations in general and Physical Education situations in particular is also required.

Comparison of Learning Effects of Merging TPSR Respectively with Sport Education and Traditional Teaching Model in High School Physical Education Classes

“…It was difficult to achieve the same positive learning atmosphere in the traditional teaching model, when compared to that experienced by students when they felt passionate during implementation of the sports education model [27]. This type of learning atmosphere enhanced students' active participation in physical education courses.…”

“…SEM could improve more personal and social responsibility among students when compared to the traditional teaching model [26]. Teachers use SEM to accomplish the learning objectives of sports-related knowledge, motor skills, and game performance, and they use TPSR as teaching strategies to achieve the learning objectives of the affective and social behavioral domains [27]. SEM could provide a meaningful learning context to cultivate a sense of responsibility.…”

Effect of Sport Education on Stress and Assertiveness of Middle School Students

“…Sports success may lie under the concepts of social skills or cognitive development. In a study conducted on students aged 11-14, it was stated that handball exercises significantly increased the assertiveness of students and that more sports education improved students' skills of comprehension, adoption of different roles, and multi-faceted thinking (García-López & Gutiérrez, 2015). In a study conducted on children aged 12-14, it was stated that children doing sports were more assertive than those who did not do sports (Özşaker, 2013).…”

“…Various studies have shown that the participation of individuals in sports education contributes positively to their cognitive, affective and psychomotor developments. It is clear that sport plays a role in helping them being an assertive individual, and has a direct effect on the multidimensional development of individuals by providing positive development in self-confidence and self-control levels (Öztürk, Efe, & Koparan, 2007;García-López & Gutiérrez, 2015). It is emphasized that applied physical education is characterized by meaningful activities, can be used as a means of coping with some psychological and social problems, assertiveness is one of the goals in such activities, and it should be considered as education in itself (Etzel-Wise & Mears, 2004).…”

Optimization of Physical Culture Lessons in Primary School on the Base of Mobile Games’ Application

“…All these will permit to raise personal and social responsibility of a teacher. To achieve such results teachers shall develop and apply pedagogic strategies on constant base [23]. With it, school can not neglect sports, content and popularity of which is constantly increasing [21].…”