Four Weeks of Goal-Directed Learning in Primary Physical Education Classes. Issue 3 (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Platvoet, Sebastiaan W. J.; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T.; Kannekens, Rianne; de Niet, Mark; Visscher, Chris
• Is Part Of: Perceptual and motor skills. Volume 122:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 871
• Page End: 885
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: motor development -- learning -- skill-specific -- goal-directed; Perception -- Periodicals; Motor ability -- Periodicals; Motor Skills; Perception; Psychology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 152
• DOI: 10.1177/0031512516648729
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-5125

Abstract

Relatively little is known about how practice relates to children's improvement in gross motor skill performance. The aim of this study is to determine to what extent 6- and 7-year-old children improve their gross motor skill performance in a four-week period, in which goal-directed learning is stimulated and to determine whether differences between boys and girls occur. Groups of 6 year olds ( n = 167) and 7 year olds ( n = 140) practiced their gross motor skill for four weeks. Physical education teachers stimulated goal-directed learning by their instruction, skill-specific exercises, and individual practice. The week before and after, gross motor skill performance was assessed, using the Körper Koordinations Test für Kinder, and compared with a control group ( n = 131). Both 6 and 7 year olds in the intervention group improved their gross motor skill performance significantly more than the control group. The results show the relevance of goal-directed learning for the improvement of gross motor skill performance.