Prototyping a Blended Physical Education Course on Mixed Volleyball

Abstract

In the Philippines, the dearth of team-based physical education courses and student demand for blended classes in a prominent open university paved the way for the active exploration of inclusive team-based sports in blended mode. With this, a study was conducted involving the participatory design of a physical education (PE) course on mixed volleyball. The study aimed to identify challenges encountered in developing and prototyping this blended PE course, enumerate perceived benefits among participants during the prototyping stage, and investigate the initial impressions among participants regarding satisfaction and interest. The methodology involved prototyping lessons based on sound instructional design principles and iteratively improving them based on retrospective analysis. Data were collected through retrospective summaries, observation notes, participant interviews, and a post-program satisfaction survey. Observation notes, retrospective summaries, and participant interviews were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. The major themes revolved around challenges and perceived benefits. Moreover, survey data was analyzed quantitatively through descriptive statistics to quantify participant satisfaction. The challenges identified were technological, logistical, operational, pedagogical, and practical in nature. The perceived benefits encompassed friendship and camaraderie, discipline, self-confidence, happiness, teamwork, love for the sport, and feeling included in the group. Quantitative results showed generally high satisfaction, which increased at the end of the sixth week. In conclusion, a blended PE course on a team-based sport like mixed volleyball can be a good option among distance learners, provided they overcome logistical and digital limitations. 
 Keywords: blended learning, physical education, Japanese mixed volleyball