A comparison of four rating systems for the evaluation of physical education lessons
Date
1982
Authors
Lind, Peter Richard
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare three analytical observer systems with each other and an intuitive system of evaluation, using 24 videotaped physical education lessons selected for analysis. The physical education lessons were divided into four equal groups of volleyball, basketball, indoor soccer and badminton lessons.
These were analyzed by the author using the Academic Learning Time - Physical Education - Teacher Behaviour observation instrument developed at Ohio State University (1980), the McLeish Observation System (1975), and the Cheffers' Adaptation of Flanders' Interaction Analysis (1972). Each of the observer instruments measured the behaviours of the selected subjects, according to the pre-determined behavioural categories they theorised as defining effective physical education teaching. In addition, each of the lessons of the four groups of floor games were ranked for effectiveness on a scale from one to six, by six experienced physical educators.
The results showed that the three analytical observer systems were better able to reach common measurements of effective physical education teaching. The judges were not able to reach any agreement other than that which could be explained by chance.
Of the three analytical observer systems, the Academic Learning Time - Physical Education - Teacher Behaviour observation instrument was shown to be the most sensitive in measuring the effectiveness of the 24 physical education lessons. When a factor analysis (based on selected categories from the three observational systems) was computed, four factors were shown, to account for 53.5 per cent of the variance. On the basis of this analysis, it was considered that a combination of the three scales, dropping duplicated and unsatisfactory variables, 1 would be the most effective means of evaluating lessons in physical education.