Shirley Gray

Teaching team invasion games and motivational climate

Team invasion games (TIG) make up a large part of the PE curriculum in Scottish schools. It is important, therefore, to understand the environmental conditions that contribute to pupils’ motivation to learn to play TIG. Consequently, this study aimed to identify the teaching behaviours exhibited when teaching TIG using a game-based approach and a skill-focused approach to teach secondary 1 (S1) basketball. Additionally, this study investigated pupils’ and teachers’ thoughts about their experiences during each basketball lesson. We found a change to more mastery behaviours during the game-based lessons and very similar percentages of mastery and ego behaviours during the skill-focused lessons. The game-based teacher discussed the pupils’ performance in terms of game performance and understanding, and the skills-focused teacher discussed the pupils’ ability to execute game skills. The pupils in the game-based class discussed game understanding, teamwork, enjoyment and involvement. The skill-focused class valued skill learning and evaluated their performance based on the successful execution of game skills. The findings from this study suggest that game-focused teaching strategies appear to promote a mastery oriented motivational climate and, therefore, have the potential to increase pupils’ motivation in PE and TIG. L’enseignement des sports collectifs interpénétrés et le climat motivationnel Les sports collectifs interpénétrés (SCI) représentent une part importante de l’enseignement de l’Education Physique en Ecosse. Aussi est-il important de comprendre les conditions environnementales qui favorisent la motivation des élèves à apprendre à jouer aux SCI. Cette étude a donc pour objectif d’identifier les conduites des enseignants engagés dans deux approches de l’enseignement des SCI auprès d’élève du secondaire: a) une approche basée sur le jeu et b) une approche basée sur la maîtrise d’habiletés. Dans le cadre d’un enseignent basé sur le jeu, l’enseignant apprécie les performances des élèves à partir de leur compréhension du jeu et de leur efficacité ; les élèves sont intéressés par la compréhension de jeu, la collaboration, le plaisir et l’engagement. Dans le cadre d’un enseignement basé sur la maîtrise, l’intérêt de l’enseignant porte sur le niveau de maîtrise d’exécution de l’élève ; les élèves ont apprécié leurs performances à partir de leur réussite dans l’exécution des habiletés. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que les stratégies d’un enseignement basé sur le jeu semblent favoriser un climat motivationnel orienté sur la maîtrise et permettent, potentiellement, d’accroître la motivation des élèves en Education Physique et dans les SCI. La enseñanza de los juegos de equipo de invasión y el clima motivacional Los juegos de equipo de invasión ocupan una amplia parte del curriculum de Educación Física en las escuelas escocesas. Por ello, es importante entender las condiciones ambientales que contribuyen a la motivación de los alumnos para aprender los juegos de equipo de invasión. Consecuentemente, este estudio trata de identificar los comportamientos de enseñanza utilizados en la enseñanza de los juegos de invasión utilizando la perspectiva basada en el juego y la perspectiva basada en la habilidad para la enseñanza del baloncesto en el nivel 1 de secundaria. Complementariamente, este estudio investigó los pensamientos de alumnos y profesores acerca de sus propias experiencias durante las clases de baloncesto realizadas. Encontramos cambios hacia mayores comportamientos de maestría durante las clases realizadas bajo la perspectiva basada en el juego y porcentajes similares de maestría y comportamientos hacia el ego en las clases realizadas en la perspectiva de la habilidad. El profesor que utilizaba la perspectiva del juego se refería a la ejecución de los alumnos en términos de rendimiento y comprensión del juego, mientras que el profesor que utilizaba la perspectiva de la habilidad refería la capacidad de los alumnos para ejecutar las destrezas del juego. Los alumnos que asistieron a las clases orientadas en la perspectiva del juego hacían referencia a la comprensión del juego, el trabajo en equipo, el divertimento y la implicación. La clase orientada en la perspectiva de la habilidad valoró el aprendizaje de habilidades y evaluó sus rendimientos a partir de las ejecuciones exitosas de las habilidades. Los hallazgos de este estudio sugieren que las estrategias de enseñanza basadas en la perspectiva del juego parecen promover un clima motivacional orientado a la maestría, además de mostrar el potencial necesario para incrementar la motivación de los alumnos en la Educación Física y en los juegos de equipo de invasión. Der Unterricht in Mannschaftssportspielarten und das motivationale Klima Mannschaftssportarten bilden einen großen Teil des Sportcurriculums an schottischen Schulen. Deshalb ist es wichtig die Rahmenbedingungen zu verstehen, die zur Motivation der Schüler zum Erlernen von Mannschaftssportspielen beitragen. Mit dieser Studie sollte das gezeigte Lehrerverhalten im Unterricht von Mannschaftsspielsportarten erfasst werden in Abhängigkeit von einem spielzentrierten oder einem fertigkeitszentrierten Ansatz im Basketball an Oberschulen. Weiterhin hat die Studie die Einschätzungen der jeweiligen Erfahrungen von Schülern und Lehrern während jeder Basketballstunde erfasst. Wir konnten eine Verbesserung des Könnens im spielzentrierten Unterricht feststellen, während sehr ähnliche Prozentzahlen im Können und individuellen Verhalten im fertigkeitszentrierten Unterricht festzustellen waren. Die spielzentriert unterrichtenden Lehrer diskutierten das Schülerverhalten hinsichtlich des Spielverhaltens und des Verständnisses und die fertigkeitsorientiert unterrichtenden Lehrer diskutierten die Schülerfähigkeiten zur Ausführung von Spielfertigkeiten. Die Schüler der spielzentrierten Klassen diskutierten das Spielverständnis, die Zusammenarbeit, den Spass und die Beteiligung. Die fertigkeitsorientierten Klassen bewerteten das Fertigkeitslernen und ihre Leistung, die auf der erfolgreichen Ausführung von Spielfertigkeiten basierte. Die Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass spielorientierte Unterrichtsstrategien ein könnensorientiertes, motivationales Klima befördern und deshalb ein Potenzial zur Steigerung der Schülermotivation im Sportunterricht und im Unterricht der Mannschaftsspielsportarten besitzen.

‘I want to look like that’: healthism, the ideal body and physical education in a Scottish secondary school

Teachers and pupils are increasingly inundated with power laden ‘truths’ regarding health and the body as they attempt to construct their subjectivities. Drawing on insights from the works of Foucault, namely technologies of power and technologies of the self, this study investigated how healthism and ideal body discourses were (re)produced, negotiated, taken up and resisted by pupils and Physical Education (PE) teachers in one Scottish secondary school. Using semi-structured interviews, we found that pupil and teacher discourses varied in the way they influenced their thoughts and practices. Analysis of the data indicated that discourses can be resisted and (re)interpreted. In many cases, this was not without the creation of internal tension for pupils. Teachers demonstrated an understanding of the salience of these discourses, and their increased responsibility for health issues, but also internalised ‘truth’ differently. The study concludes by recommending the introduction of a critical enquiry focus around the construction of health in Scottish PE.

Investigating the experience of outdoor and adventurous project work in an educational setting using a self-determination framework

The purpose of this study was to carry out a preliminary investigation to explore the use of outdoor and adventurous project work (PW) within an educational setting. Specifically, differences between the PW and normal academic school experiences were examined using a self-determination theory framework integrated with a goal orientation and psychological skills perspective. Additionally, an exploratory investigation was carried out to examine the extent to which key motivation constructs predicted skill development (i.e. problem solving, collaboration and communication) through the PW experience. Six questionnaires were adapted and utilised to collect the relevant data for both school and PW experiences (Basic Psychological Needs questionnaire; the Learning Climate Questionnaire; Intrinsic Motivation Inventory; the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire; 2 × 2 Achievement Goal Questionnaire and perceived skills learned in PW questionnaire) from the 224 students (Mean age 13.2 ± 0.3 years) who participated in the 12-day PW. Results indicated that there were significant differences between school and PW experience (p < 0.01). Specifically, PW experience rated higher in autonomy supportive climate, autonomous motivation, perceived competence, and a greater emphasis on task approach goal orientation. Furthermore as a cohort, the students reported improvements in problem solving, collaboration and communication as a result of the PW experience. Finally, an exploratory hierarchical regression analysis revealed potential importance of perceived value, utilising meta-cognitive skills, and experiencing relatedness and autonomy in the prediction of skill development through PW experiences. The findings of this study present preliminary support the potential usefulness of outdoor and adventurous PW within a school context and provide implications for future research which are discussed further.

The microstructure of coaching practice: behaviours and activities of an elite rugby union head coach during preparation and competition

Abstract The activities and behaviours of a female head coach of a national rugby union team were recorded in both training and competition, across a whole rugby season, using the newly developed Rugby Coach Activities and Behaviours Instrument (RCABI). The instrument incorporates 24 categories of behaviour, embedded within three forms of activity (training form (TF), playing form (PF) and competitive match) and seven sub-activity types. In contrast to traditional drill-based coaching, 58.5% of the training time was found to have been spent in PF activities. Moreover, the proportion of PF activities increased to a peak average of 83.8% in proximity to the team’s annual international championship. Uniquely, one of the coach’s most prolific behaviours was conferring with associates (23.3%), highlighting the importance of interactions with assistant coaches, medical staff and others in shaping the coaching process. Additionally, the frequencies of key behaviours such as questioning and praise were found to vary between the different activity forms and types, raising questions about previous conceptions of effective coaching practice. The findings are discussed in the light of the Game Sense philosophy and the role of the head coach.

The emergence of coordinative structures during offensive movement for goal-scoring in soccer

This study examined how offensive movements leading to goal-scoring opportunities emerge through coordinative actions between players in professional soccer. Twenty soccer clubs in the English Premier League were observed and analysed for 12 successive competitive Premier League matches each during the 2011-12 season. A coordinative structure was defined as the partnership between the player who delivered the assist pass and the goal scoring player. According to conditions of two players in the last action before a goal being scored four coordinative states were defined: Passer Standing-Receiver Standing; Passer Standing-Receiver Moving; Passer Moving-Receiver Standing; Passer Moving-Receiver Moving. The result of repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (F3, 57=1.94, p>0.05) showed that there was no significant difference between the occurrence of different coordinative states. The Markov chain model was used to examine the predictability of coordinative structure states in successive matches. We found a low transition probability and small transitional rate in each coordinative state. The results showed that the emergence of coordinative structure during offensive movements varies between EPL soccer clubs and it follows a stochastic process in successive matches. One implication of these findings for coaches is the need for varied tactics in attack through using different states of coordinative actions between players in order to increase goal-scoring opportunities.

Can Continuing Professional Development Utilizing a Game-Centred Approach Improve the Quality of Physical Education Teaching Delivered by Generalist Primary School Teachers?.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention in producing changes in physical education (PE) teaching practice and PE teaching quality by generalist primary school teachers when the CPD addressed the use of a game-centred approach. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in seven primary schools in the Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia. One year six teacher from each school was randomized into the Professional Learning for Understanding Games Education (PLUNGE) intervention (n = 4 teachers) or the 7-week wait-list control (n = 3) condition. The PLUNGE intervention (weeks 1–5) used an instructional framework to improve teachers’ knowledge, understanding and delivery of a game-centred curriculum, and included an information session and weekly in-class mentoring. The intervention was designed to enhance content and pedagogical knowledge for the provision of pedagogy focused on a broad range of learning outcomes. Teaching quality was assessed at baseline and follow-up (weeks 6 and 7) via observation of two consecutive PE lessons using the Quality Teaching Lesson Observation Scales. Linear mixed models revealed significant group-by-time intervention effects (p < 0.05) for the quality of teaching (effect size: d = 1.7). CPD using an information session and mentoring, and a focus on the development of the quality of teaching using a game-centred pedagogical approach was efficacious in improving the quality of PE teaching among generalist primary school teachers.

Reflecting on reflective practice: a coach’s action research narratives

Abstract Reflection is now advocated by coach education programmes around the world as a framework for coaches to learn from their experience. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical and critical work focussed on coaches’ experiences of reflective practice. Consequently, we lack understanding as to the utility of reflection in the messy realities of practice, and of what is meaningful to those who engage in such a personally involving, emotive and challenging process. This article presents a series of narratives that evoke the dilemmas I (the lead author) experienced reflecting on my reflective practice within an action research process. The narratives tell a highly personal tale about the temporal, emotional and contextual qualities of reflective practice, a tale that counters traditional presentations of the coach as a calculated, dispassionate and rational being who operates as if in a social vacuum. By providing insight that befits the problematic nature of practice, we hope to contribute to a more authentic and holistic epistemology in sports coaching.

Understanding students’ experiences in a PE, health and well-being context: a self-determination theory perspective

ABSTRACT Framed by Self-Determination Theory, this investigation explored student experience as they engaged in their physical education (PE), health and well-being (HWB) curriculum in Scotland for the first time. We aimed to uncover the features of various learning environments that appeared to impact upon student motivation in PE over the period one academic year. We carried out focus group interviews with students from one state secondary school (secondary 1 and 2; ages 12–14) and its feeder primary schools (primary 7; age 11 years) immediately after a selection of PE lessons throughout the year. Furthermore, to provide some additional context for our analysis, the students in each year completed a questionnaire (pre–post) to identify and understand their motivation for PE over time. The results from the interviews indicated that students had a number of positive and negative PE experiences. However, the results from the questionnaire demonstrate that the students’ experiences during the first year of this ‘new’ curriculum had little impact on their motivation for PE. The findings highlight the importance of mixed methods research to provide context-specific account of student experience. This detail may be critical for the development of informed and effective pedagogy that supports student learning, health and well-being.

Exploring contributions of project-based learning to health and wellbeing in secondary education

Regardless of the aims and purposes of education, recent trends in pedagogy suggest an increasing popularity of project-based learning (PBL) and a focus on interdisciplinary approaches to learning, however ill-defined they may be. Connections between PBL, curriculum trends and health and wellbeing are reviewed, as well as potential value of schools bringing the three together to enhance learning. Interviews were undertaken with students (n = 37) following a range of 2-week residentials involving PBL to examine students’ perspectives on connections with prior learning at school, the approach to learning and any connections to health and wellbeing. The results from the hierarchical content analysis revealed five emerging themes. Implications for theory, practice and further research are discussed.