Natalie Lander

Interrater reliability assessment using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2

OBJECTIVES The aim was to examine interrater reliability of the object control subtest from the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 by live observation in a school field setting. DESIGN Reliability Study--cross sectional. METHODS Raters were rated on their ability to agree on (1) the raw total for the six object control skills; (2) each skill performance and (3) the skill components. Agreement for the object control subtest and the individual skills was assessed by an intraclass correlation (ICC) and a kappa statistic assessed for skill component agreement. RESULTS A total of 37 children (65% girls) aged 4-8 years (M = 6.2, SD = 0.8) were assessed in six skills by two raters; equating to 222 skill tests. Interrater reliability was excellent for the object control subset (ICC = 0.93), and for individual skills, highest for the dribble (ICC = 0.94) followed by strike (ICC = 0.85), overhand throw (ICC = 0.84), underhand roll (ICC = 0.82), kick (ICC = 0.80) and the catch (ICC = 0.71). The strike and the throw had more components with less agreement. CONCLUSIONS Even though the overall subtest score and individual skill agreement was good, some skill components had lower agreement, suggesting these may be more problematic to assess. This may mean some skill components need to be specified differently in order to improve component reliability.

Characteristics of Teacher Training in School-Based Physical Education Interventions to Improve Fundamental Movement Skills and/or Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

BackgroundFundamental movement skill (FMS) competence is positively associated with physical activity (PA). However, levels of both FMS and PA are lower than expected. Current reviews of interventions to improve FMS and PA have shown that many school-based programs have achieved positive outcomes, yet the maintenance of these interventions is variable. Teachers play a central role in the success and longevity of school-based interventions. Despite the importance of teacher engagement, research into the nature and quality of teacher training in school-based PA and FMS interventions has received little attention.ObjectiveThe aim of this systematic review was to investigate the type and quantity of teacher training in school-based physical education PA and/or FMS interventions, and to identify what role teacher training had on the intervention outcome.MethodsA systematic search of eight electronic databases was conducted. Publication date restrictions were not implemented in any database, and the last search was performed on 1 March 2015. School physical education-based interventions facilitated by a school teacher, and that included a quantitative assessment of FMS competence and/or PA levels were included in the review.ResultsThe search identified 39 articles. Eleven of the studies measured FMS, 25 studies measured PA and three measured both FMS and PA. Nine of the studies did not report on any aspect of the teacher training conducted. Of the 30 studies that reported on teacher training, 25 reported statistically significant intervention results for FMS and/or PA. It appears that teacher training programs: are ≥ 1 day; provide comprehensive subject and pedagogy content; are framed by a theory or model; provide follow-up or ongoing support; and measure teacher satisfaction of the training, are more effective at improving student outcomes in FMS and/or PA. However, the provision of information regarding the characteristics of the teacher training was largely inadequate. Therefore, it was difficult to ascertain which teacher training characteristics were most important in relation to intervention effectiveness.ConclusionIt is clear that whilst teachers are capable of making substantial improvements in student outcomes in PA and FMS, the findings of this review suggest the teacher training component of school-based PA and/or FMS interventions is not only under-reported but is under-studied, and, perhaps as a result, the value of teacher training is not widely understood. What remains unclear, due to poor reporting, is what role teacher training is having on these outcomes.

Teachers’ Perceptions of a Fundamental Movement Skill (FMS) Assessment Battery in a School Setting

ABSTRACT Fundamental movement skills (FMS) competence is low in adolescent girls. An assessment tool for teachers is needed to monitor FMS in this demographic. The present study explored whether the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA) is feasible for use by physical education (PE) teachers of Australian Year 7 girls in a school setting. Surveys, focus group interviews, and direct observation of 18 specialist PE teachers investigated teachers’ perceptions of this tool. Results indicated that the CAMSA was usable in a real-world school setting and was considered a promising means to assess FMS in Year 7 girls. However, future iterations may require minor logistical alterations and further training for teachers on how to utilize the assessment data to enhance teaching practice. These considerations could be used to improve future design, application, and training of the CAMSA in school-based PE.

The reliability and validity of an authentic motor skill assessment tool for early adolescent girls in an Australian school setting

OBJECTIVES Proficiency in fundamental movement skills (FMS) is positively correlated with cardiorespiratory fitness, healthy weight status, and physical activity. Many instruments have been developed to assess FMS in children. It is important to accurately measure FMS competency in adolescent populations, particularly in girls, who are less proficient than boys. Yet these tests have not been validated or tested for reliability among girls in this age group. DESIGN The current study tested the concurrent validity and reliability of two FMS assessment instruments; the newly developed Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA), against the Victorian FMS Assessment from Australia, among a sample of early adolescent girls. METHODS In total, 34 Year 7 females (mean age 12.6 years) from Australia were tested and retested on each instrument in a school setting. RESULTS Test-retest reliability was excellent for the overall CAMSA score (ICC=0.91) and for the isolated time and skill score components (time: ICC=0.80; skill: ICC=0.85). Test-retest reliability of the Victorian FMS Assessment was also good (ICC=0.79). There was no evidence of proportional bias in either assessment. There was evidence of strong concurrent validity (rs=0.68, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both instruments were found to be reliable and valid. However, compared to the Victorian FMS instrument, the CAMSA has the advantage of both process and product assessment, less time needed to administer and higher authenticity, and so may be an attractive alternative to the more traditional forms of FMS assessment, for use with early adolescent girls, in school settings.

Improving early-adolescent girls’ motor skill: a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background Physical activity (PA) levels decline substantially during adolescence and are consistently lower in girls. Competency in a range of fundamental movement skills (FMSs) may serve as a protective factor for the decline in PA typically observed in adolescent girls; yet, girls’ mastery in FMS is low. Although interventions can improve FMS, there is a lack of interventions targeting girls, and very few are conducted in high schools. In addition, interventions are usually conducted by researchers, not teachers, and thus have little chance of being embedded into curricula. Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention, delivered by teachers, in improving adolescent girls’ FMS. Methods Four all-girls Australian secondary schools were recruited and randomized into intervention or control groups. In total, 190 year 7 girls (103 control/87 intervention; mean age, 12.4 ± 0.3 yr) completed baseline and posttest measures at 12 wk. Six FMS (i.e., catch, throw, kick, jump, leap, and dodge) were measured using the Victorian FMS Assessment instrument. Mixed models with posttest skill (i.e., locomotor, object control, and total skill) as the outcome, adjusting for baseline skill, intervention and control status, and relevant covariates, as well as accounting for clustering at school and class level, were used to assess the intervention impact. Results There were significant intervention effects, and large effect sizes (Cohen d) noted in locomotor (P = 0.04, t = 5.15, d = 1.6), object control (P < 0.001, t = 11.06, d = 0.83), and total skill (P = 0.02, t = 7.22, d = 1.36). Conclusions Teachers adequately trained in authentic assessment and student-centered instruction can significantly improve the FMS competency of early adolescent girls. Therefore, comprehensive teacher training should be viewed as an integral component of future school-based interventions.

Can a teacher-led RCT improve adolescent girls' physical self-perception and perceived motor competence?

ABSTRACT Perceived and actual motor competence (MC) influence physical activity (PA) behaviour. Notably, both are lower in girls than in boys. This study aimed to investigate (i) whether a 12-week, teacher-led intervention that improves actual MC (Lander, N., Morgan, P. J., Salmon, J., & Barnett, L. M. (2017). Improving early-adolescent girls’ motor skill: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 49(12), 2498–2505) could also improve adolescent girls’ physical self-perception and perceived MC, and (ii) whether change in actual MC is associated with post-intervention perceptions A randomized controlled trial with 171 girls (mean age 12.48 ± 0.34 years), measured perception (i.e., physical self-perception profile (PSPP) and pictorial scale of perceived movement skill competence (PMSC)) and actual MC (i.e., Victorian FMS Teachers’ Assessment Manual). Mixed models with post-intervention perception as the outcome, adjusting for baseline perception, group, and change in actual MC, as well as clustering, were performed. An interaction term between change in MC and intervention status was included to test the secondary aim. There were significant intervention effects on girls’ physical self-perception as well as their perceived MC. However, there was no association between change in actual MC across the intervention and post intervention perception. While the intervention improved both actual MC and perceived MC, they were not associated.