Models based instruction: the Sport Education curriculum model and accruing physical activity

Abstract

Evidence suggests that physical activity patterns become habitual during childhood, and it is possible that activity patterns continue into adulthood. Unfortunately, traditional physical education practices have been called into question in regard to the amount of vigorous physical activity the class actually provides. Undergraduate physical education teacher education programs provide an opportune setting in which preservice teachers can be introduced to the demand of meeting these unique and challenging goals with less pressure than under the responsibility of teaching full-time without university support. One curriculum model believed to address the concern of facing physical education is Sport Education. The purpose of this study was to determine what impact preservice teachers had on students accruing the recommended levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during their early field experience of an undergraduate secondary methods course while teaching within the Sport Education curriculum model. Participants were four preservice teachers assigned to teach sport education to middle school students during a secondary methods course field experience. Leeson were filmed and analyzed using a modified version of the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time and the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth. Calculation of overall student activity shows that students were sedentary for 45.19% of the lesson duration, walking for 38.00% of the lesson, and vigorously active for 16.81% of their respective lesson. The discussion section outlines possible reasons for these results, as well as suggestions for physical educators to increase MVPA during Sport Education.