The Effects of Milti-View Video Modeling and Skill Acquisition on Learning the Tennis Serve

Abstract

1419 PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of a multi-view video modeling approach versus a somgle-view modeling approach on the acquisition and performance of the tennis serve for males and females enrolled in university beginning tennis classes. METHODS: One hundred and eleven college students (56 males and 55 females) enrolled in eight beginning tennis classes participated in the study. One female and one male tennis player demonstrated the tennis serve for both the single- and multi-view groups. This helped maintain instructional consistency and ensured generalizability of the results. The models were considered to be experts and were experienced tennis players. Each individual viewed a single repetition of the video-taped demonstration of the tennis serve forty times. Subjects in the single-view modeling group watched the service demonstration forty times from one perspective. Subjects in the multi-view modeling group watched the serve ten times from each of four angles alternately for a total of forty times. Subjects from both groups were told to view their video once a day at least five times a week over a period of five weeks. Participants kept a log of how many days they watched the video and how many minutes per day of service practice they completed. The tennis instructors in each class were not allowed to give any service instruction throughout the duration of the class. Each subject attempted to learn the tennis serve only from video observation and individual practice. RESULTS: There were no differences on scores for the serve in the pretest between groups. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant between group (F(1,109) = 7.205, p<.01) and within group (F(1,109) = 499.23, p<.001) differences. Between group differences indicate significantly fewer deviations in the multi-view group than the single-view group. In other words, the multi-view group improved significantly more than the single view group. Significant within group differences between pretest and posttest trials, indicating improved performance, were noted in both groups. There was also a significant interaction effect (F(1,109) = 23.78, p<.001) indicating a change in the rate of improvement between groups. Thus, while both groups showed significant improvements between trials, the multi-view group improved at a faster rate than did the single-view group. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-view video modeling appears to be more effective than single-view modeling in teaching the tennis serve to beginning tennis players. This teaching technique might be a more beneficial approach to teaching the tennis serve and other sport skills.