Physical activity and practice time through practical lessons of senior-undergraduates of physical education

Aggelos Kanioglou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Hellas

Amalia Drakou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Hellas

Key words: Physical activity, practice time, efficiency of senior- ndergraduates

Indroduction

The Greek National Curriculum (Ministry of Education and Religion Affairs, 1997) has a number of goals for physical education in primary education, such as biological-hygiene, movement-expression, social-ethical, cognitive-knowledge and viable. The physical education teacher is called to reach a number of objectives, which cover nearly all the aspects of pupils' personality, during a short period of time. Specific attention must be paid to biological-hygiene, and movement-expression goals because their development and cultivation is formed only during the physical education lessons. Furthermore, these objectives are linked to short and long-term health benefits in youth, as well as with motor development (Berlin & Colditz, 1990; Powell, Thompson, Caspersen & Kendrick 1987).

Apart from its educational and pedagogical role, the physical education lesson must also play a compensatory role towards the harmful consequences of a non-athletic and unhealthy way of life. The reduction of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, in childhood and adolescent age, is important, to secure health during adultness (Cresanta, Burke, Downey, Freedman & Berenson, 1986). In recent years, evidence has showed that moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of other diseases, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, some forms of cancer and also improves the quality of life (Corbin & Pangrazi, 1992; McGinnis, 1992).

The necessity and the role of physical education for the increase of pupils' physical activity, has been reported by several organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics Committees on Sports Medicine and School Health (1987), and the American College of Sport Medicine (1990), which have recently published relevant instructions, highlighting the need for physical education programs in schools in order to adopt health-related physical activity goals. Additionally, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in it's campaigns related to the protection of citizens' health in 1990 and 2000, included, among others, the below goals: a) Exhibition of a physically active lifestyle and b) achieving and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. As far as physical education is concerned, it is suggested that at least 50% of lesson time should be spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

The movement-expression goal represents the learning element of physical education and highly contributes to motor development, which is mainly achieved by the development of movement skills. The basic learning objectives, which are used in the Greek Curriculum for the development of movement skills, are the learning of the techniques of various sports, different games and traditional dances. The efficiency of teaching related to the achievement of the movement-expression goal depends on the planning, methodological and organizing skills of the teacher. The basic criterion of evaluation for the accomplishment of this certain goal is practice time. That is, the time in which every pupil learns various movement skills or plays different games (either elementary games or sports) or exercises for the development of physical capacity (Pangrazi & Darst, 1997).

Research showed that the percentage of MVPA depends on the type of physical activity which is performed. A high percentage of MVPA was found in football, tennis, jump rope, aerobics, floor hockey, netball and European handball, in contrast with activities such as trampoline, volleyball, basketball, soft-ball, track and field, fitness, dancing and gymnastics where a low percentage of MVPA was observed. The highest rates were noticed in floor hockey (63.2%), netball (58.5%), soccer (57.8%) and the lower rates were found in gymnastics (7.8%), dancing (8.6%), fitness 10.3%, track and field (16.0) (Hastie & Trost, 2002; Li & Dunham, 1993; Stratton, 1997 and Van-der-Mars, Vogler, Dast & Cusimano, 1994).

 Apart from several sports and activities, differences were also found within a pupil population. Direct continuous observation in one day showed that 21% of the students 5-11 years old engaged in sustained 20 min period of MVPA, nearly 95% took part in a 5 min period of MVPA and 8% of the students during the physical education lesson (Sleap & Warburton, 1996).

 Apart from MVPA, studies have also investigated practice time. It has been reported that the rate of active learning time was between 4% - 77%, meaning that the mean average was 33% (Eldar, Siedentop & Jones, 1989; Godbout, Brunelle & Tousignant 1983; Koutle, Kaphalas, Tserkezoglou and Tzetzis 2002; Lamaster & Lacy, 1993; Momodu, 2000; Moudakis 1992; Thompson, Beauchamp & Darst, 1991).

The participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity and the practice time are the most important factors to be taken into consideration by the physical education teachers when they plan their lessons, in order to be conducted with an appropriate, rational and scientific way (Beurden, Barnett, Zask, Dietrich, Brooks & Beard, 2003). Only then, can the maximum lesson time be exploited and can the biological-hygiene and movement-expression goals of the lesson be achieved (ensuring and maintenance of health, development of movement and functional abilities-skills, prevention and rehabilitation of morphological distortions, consolidation of movement skills).

In this study we evaluated the efficiency of future physical education teachers, who had little teaching experience in Elementary Schools. The aims of our study are a) to estimate physical activity level-intensity and b) to evaluate the practice time of pupils in the physical education lesson.

Method

Sample

This study was conducted within the bounds of the lesson 'Theory and Method in Primary School', where senior undergraduates of the Department of Physical Education and Sport in the University of Thessaloniki, held their practice in various schools. The participants were N=62 undergraduate students, divided into 5 groups of 12 people each. They taught 264 Elementary School pupils who had an average age 9.7 years (S.D.=±2.1). As a first step, instructions about the aims and the means of the lesson were given to the students. Additionally, instructions about practical issues such as specific planning strategies for maximizing time on task, class management and relationship with pupils were given. Each undergraduate student prepared plans for their lessons and the objective was identified. The lesson plan was written in a double-sided paper, in which the goals and contents of all parts of the le hour were carefully mentioned (warming up, stretching exercises, main part and recovery). The lesson plan included details about the teaching and presentation of the subject, methods to be used, organization of the class, amount of effort (minutes, meters, repetitions), breaks and the intensity of physical activity. In the start of the semester the supervisor demonstrated ideal models for the students. In the first lesson plans from senior undergraduates was made in pairs to achieve better results and to adopt the role of teacher in the school environment. This procedure was not evaluated. In the end of the lesson conversations and suggestions were made for more effective teaching. Apart from practice, the undergraduates also attended theoretical lessons related to pedagogical, methodological, organizing, teaching and learning subjects.

• Measure procedures

For the evaluation of time spent the motor appropriate time, which is a component of the Active Learning Time-Physical Education observation protocol was used (Siedentop, Tousignant & Parker, 1982). The motor appropriate time is basically the practice time of ALT-PE and is defined as the time where students are practicing skills in a setting that enables them to experience success (Pangrazi & Darst, 1997). The participation of one boy and one girl were observed and timed in each lesson. Lessons were taught in a variety of sport-specific indoor and outdoor areas, such as school fields, sport halls and a gymnasium.

Ninety-three teaching hours where evaluated with different contents. From those, 17 hours were movement games, 6 were athletic preliminary games, 30 were teaching sport technics of sport games, track and field and gymnastics, 20 hours were teaching of traditional dances, 8 hours for the development of agility, 10 for the development of strength, and 2 for the development of speed.

• Results

The descriptive analysis showed that physical activity during lessons ranged from mild to lower levels. As far as the levels of moderate and vigorous physical activities are concerned students average 28.26% or 12.72 min of the total lesson time. Highest activity was in the development of agility and speed. Moderate rates were noticed in elementary movement games, technical skills and preliminary sport games and in development of strength. The lowest activity was in traditional dances.

The practice time in physical education lessons ranged in relatively high levels. The average of the total teaching lessons was 52.91% or 24.31 min of the lesson time. For each teaching unit, the highest active time of participation appeared in the learning of traditional dances, development of speed, agility and learning sport skills. Finally, smaller percentages appeared in preparatory sport games, movement games and in the development of strength.

If we examine the practice time in physical education lessons we will notice that the highest rates of actual participation will appear in the preparatory part (warming-up procedure and stretching exercises), and in the main part of the lesson.

These percentages range in an average of 53.27%, 55.08% and 55.26% respectively. In some cases they reached 95%-100%, especially during the warming-up procedure where the content of exercise was mainly running. The lowest time of participation appeared in recovery (37.62%).

Table 1

Heart Rates and Active Practice Time in Physical Education Lessons

Activity	% lesson time in HR >150 M     SD		Lesson time (min) In HR>150 M     SD		% active practice time M      SD		Active practice time (min) M     SD
Movement games	34.37	18.08	15.47	8.14	51.49	18.44	23.15	25.28
Preliminary sport games	31.11	14.01	14.00	6.30	53.40	2.88	24.02	16.35
Learning sport skills	31.48	9.53	14.16	4.47	53.99	11.29	23.96	8.27
Development of agility	50.83	17.45	22.87	7.94	53.50	9.34	24.07	7.76
Development of strength	25.33	9.89	11.40	4.45	46.22	14.45	20.80	7.70
Development of speed	36.66	13.78	16.50	6.20	55.55	18.83	25.00	8.47
Learning dances	9.00	5.38	4.05	2.41	57.00	16.18	25,65	11.76
Total	28.26	10.50	12.72	4.72	52.91	13.76	24.31	7.62

Discussion

The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of future physical education teachers towards their capacity to achieve the basic biological, movement and learning goals of physical education lesson. From the results of the study it appears that the undergraduates teachers of physical education gave more emphasis to practice time than to the intensity of the lesson. The practice time was 52.91% or 24.31 min of lesson time. Compared to previous studies (Godbout, Brunelle & Tousignant 1983; Koutle, Kaphalas, Tserkezoglou and Tzetzis 2002; Lamaster & Lacy, 1993; Momodu, 2000; Moudakis 1992; Thompson, Beauchamp & Darst, 1991) it was found satisfactory, because the undergraduate teachers achieved high levels of practice time. It was also found that the results of this study are similar to the a relevant research where the efficiency of seven qualified teachers was estimated (Eldar, Siedentop & Jones, 1989). In the research above, the practice time was more than 45% of lesson time. The basic characteristics of their tutoring were their constant effort to help the students, the creation of a positive atmosphere, discipline and, in addition, effective organization.

In another study with preservice physical education teachers, it was found that the treatment group that had been informed about the structure and importance of ALT-PE, showed higher levels (43.4% compared to 30.3%) in practice time than the teachers in the control group (Randall & Imwold, 1989).

From our study it appears that, despite the fact that they had little practical experience, the efficiency of the undergraduate teachers of our research was very high. This is due to the well designed teaching program, the best-possible organization of the class, the appropriate selection of methodological objects, the discipline and control of the class and the constant interest for the movement-learning goal of the lesson. When practice time does not overcome 20% of lesson time, then it is regarded as inefficient (Metzler, 1989).

On the other hand, the intensity of the lesson ranged in low levels. The results showed that the students exercised in moderate to vigorous physical activity 28.26% or 12.72 min of lesson time. This percentage reached only half of the suggested time that is indicated for the development of lesson time (50% of lesson time HR >150). Developed-industrial countries have proposed some certain guidelines about the levels of physical activity on the daily and weekly program of the pupils and advise an increase of daily exercise. The guidelines that were used as a base until today, were 3 times per week for 20 min of moderate to vigorous activity (60-75% of the maximum consumption of oxygen or more than 3 Mets). The UK Expert Consensus Conference recommendations regarding children's PA levels are that '…all young people should participate in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for 1 hour per day. Young people who currently do little activity should participate in physical activity of at least moderate intensity for at least half an hour per day (Cavil, Biddle & Sallis, 2001). In recognition of the role of schools in achieving the above PA levels, the New South Wales (NSW) Board of Studies in Australia recommended that children in NSW schools should have the opportunity to engage in 120 minutes of PA during the school week (Board of Studies NSW, 1999).

Due to the fact that physical education lessons are 2 hours per week in average, the above criteria cannot be accomplished. However, physical education lesson should aim to maintain cardiotespiratory fitness, even if it cannot be increased (Corbin, 1987; Sallis & McKenzie, 1991; Stratton, 1997). This aim should not be ignored because negative consequences might occur, such as increase of obesity, reduction of muscle mass and strength, decrease of bone density, 15-20% reduction of cardiorespiratory performance (Pate et al., 1995). For this reason, we should emphasize the need of extracurricular activities as compensator factor for increase of physical activity. However, some would argue (Schmidt, 1988; Moudakis, 1993) about the importance of motor skill development as a major objective of Physical Education in schools. They support the idea that motor skills remain within the whole life of former students as adults, while physical abilities decrease if people stop exercising. Our belief is that the combination of both development of motor skills and development of physical activities is more effective and beneficial for health and quality of life, because both factors (motor skills and physical abilities) have their own importance and should act rather as components than competitors of motor development.

The intensity of the lesson did not reach the criterion that indicates that it should be higher than 50% of lesson time and HR>150. This was accomplished in the lessons that aimed in agility and was lower in the rest of the teaching units.

We should point out that in activities of explosive strength (throwing, jumps and running of small distances), despite the large scale of intensity, the heartbeats are not increased to the maximum. The reason is the small duration of performance and the non-possible activation of the aerobic mechanism. The energy that is demanded for the above activities is provided through anaerobic no lactic mechanism (Klissouras, 1989). Also, in programs, which aim for the development of flexibility, there is no increase of the pulses. Accounting for the fact that some components of fitness will not elevate heart rate, the description of a physical lesson as a fitness lesson when heart rates were only elevated above 150 bpm for 50% of lesson time is not always appropriate (Stratton, 1997). For this reason, it is more reliable, when estimating physical education lessons' effectiveness, to take into consideration practice time, apart from the criterion above.

All the above criteria must be used as a main base for the achievement of the biological-hygiene and movement-expression aims, but it should be pointed out that teachers' role is to form in students an ideal personality in order to succeed psycho-social development (Kane, Wright, Meek, Tapping & Roberts, 1987, British Department for Education, 1995).

Conclusions

From this study it was depicted that practice time of the lesson ranged in satisfactory levels. Additionally, the intensity of the lesson was low and insufficient to achieve the biological and hygienic goals. It was observed that lessons were inefficient as far as the intensity of physical activity is concerned.

To overcome this problem we should focus on increasing the physiological load of the lesson (distances, time, resistance and repetitions) and reducing wasting time. Additionally, we should use programs for the development of physical abilities, with duration 5-10 min, in the lessons with low intensity (double teaching goal). For better organizing of class the frontal-unified form of exercise, or in pairs, it would be preferable. Teams should never overcome the number of four persons. Furthermore, physical activities which contribute to the cardio-respiratory efficiency should be chosen.

Finally, more empirical research should be conducted to investigate physiological load, class management, discipline techniques and strategies, pedagogical skills and class climate, structure of the lesson, and learning methods, and how all these factors affect lesson's effectiveness.

• Abstract

Special pedagogical, instructional, methodological, and organizational skills are required for effective teaching methods in a physical education class. Recent studies have shown that time in physical education lessons is not used efficiently, in order to accomplish the biological-hygiene and movement-expression aims of the curriculum. Questions arise related to the development of teaching and professional skills, which undergraduate teachers of physical education acquire throughout their university studies. The study evaluated physical activity through heart rate measurement and practice time of pupils throughout classes. Participants were 62 undergraduate teachers, who taught 289 pupils of Elementary School (1^st-6^th grade). Pupils were recorded by the use of telemetry and the component of motor appropriate time, which is a part of the direct observation protocol Academic Learning Time-Physical Education (ALT-PE) in order to evaluate students' physical activity and active learning time over 93 teaching hours. Results showed that students engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 28.26% or 12.72 min, while active learning time averaged 52.91% or 24.31 min of the lesson. The effectiveness of these future teachers to provide moderate to vigorous physical activity was not satisfactory, considering that recommendations are 50% of class time. On the other hand, the undergraduate teachers were quite effective in the movement and learning section. Finally, several methods were proposed for the improvement of the effectiveness of this particular lesson.

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