Christinides, Y.*, Zetou, E., Derri, V., Michalopoulou, M.
School of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, 69100 Komotini
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine whether the technique of education theater game will have a positive effect on the learning of volleyball setting skills and the development of knowledge of the volleyball rules, in children of the third grade of primary school. The participants were 89 students (boys and girls), aged 8-9 years (M=8.07, SD=.83). The participants had not been taught volleyball at all. The students were randomly divided into two groups, the Educational Theater Game Group (ETGG, N=43) and the Control Group (CG, N=46). The research was carried out in the school premises during the Physical Education lessons, lasted four weeks with two teaching units per week. During the implementation of the intervention program, the experimental group (ETGG) was taught sports skills and subjects using the method of educational theater game, while the control group (CG) was taught the same skills and subjects with the typical way of teaching the Physical Education lesson and according to the syllabus. Bartlett, Smith, Davis and Peel’s (1991) set/pass test and the AAHPERD (1965) pass and serve tests, modified for the children’s age, were used to assess skills. Three measurements were taken (before-after the end of the intervention and one week after without practicing these skills (retention test). The test process was videotaped to assess the quality/technique of the skills, after examining the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability The assessment of knowledge in the skills was done by filling in knowledge questionnaires from the students at the end of the intervention program. The analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that all students learned the skills, but students of the educational theater game were better in final and retention tests than students of control group. Also, they answered the knowledge questionnaire correctly. In conclusion the use of the educational theater game is a useful tool in the Physical Education course, to achieve its goals.
Keywords: Physical education; Educational theater game; Skill learning; Knowledge development.
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