Effects of intervention on teacher and student behaviour in elementary gymnastics lessons
Date
1986
Authors
Burroughs, Larry Bruce
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to increase class practice time and student Academic Learning Time-Physical Education (ALT-PE) by intervening upon specific teacher managerial and instructional, and learner involvement behaviours.
Four inservice classroom teachers from one elementary school volunteered to teach a modified ETU in gymnastics, using a stations approach. Teachers A (female) and B (female) were experienced while teachers C (female) and D (male) were inexperienced gymnastics teachers.
On average, 14-25 minute lessons were videotaped for each teacher over a 9 week period. Data were coded on the following dependent variables, by teacher: instruction (all); transition (D); corrective feedback (A,B,D); accountability (A,C); wait (A,B,C); off-task (A,C,D); equipment ( B, C) . Following a minimum four lesson baseline period, specific dependent variables were targeted during one of two intervention meetings. Teachers were unaware of the variables being monitored prior to intervention.
A multiple baseline A-B design, across teachers, was used to determine the effect of intervention upon targeted behaviours. Before coding the data, interobserver reliability of over 80% was achieved on videotaped data.
As a result of interventions, decreases in instruction and off-task time led to increases in practice time and ALT-PE, for teachers A and D. The effect of reducing the instruction time of teachers B and C was minimized by equipment management interventions, which increased transition time but improved teacher confidence in handling equipment. Limited success of interventions to reduce transition and wait time appeared to be a function of the nature and availability of equipment, and the managerial ability of students during independent practice.
An intervention was successful in doubling the baseline rate of corrective feedback for teachers A, B, and D. For teachers A and C, the use of an accountability system led to reduced off-task behaviour.
Pre and post study questionnaires revealed that the inservice process was considered generally to be a positive experience. All teachers considered the ability to organize and manage student involvement to be more critical to the overall instructional process than personal knowledge and expertise in gymnastics.
The study supported the contention that proven instructional and managerial behaviours can be shared with and mediated by classroom teachers through a systematic inservice process, and that resultant practices can increase learner involvement in gymnastics.