Assessing the motivational climates in early physical education curricula underpinned by motor learning theory: SAMPLE-PE

Abstract

Background: Traditionally, Physical Education (PE) has adopted a multi-skills approach, where children generally engage in decontextualised practice of sport techniques to develop specific movement skills and facilitate sports participation. This approach has been critiqued for having a weak conceptual and philosophical justification, and lack of empirical proof of its educational value. The SAMPLE-PE research project set out to challenge this by creating two PE curricula distinguished by contrasting theories of motor learning: information processing theory and ecological dynamics. While both approaches have shown promise in enhancing children's movement skills, to date there has been little consideration of their impact on motivational climate of primary PE lessons. This study explored to what extent traditional PE, ecological dynamics, and information processing theory-based approaches create empowering and disempowering motivational climates when viewed through a self-determination and achievement goal theory lens. Method: Forty-four PE lessons were video recorded and coded by two trained researchers using the Multidimensional Motivational Climate Observation System. ANOVA, MANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were run to explore differences in data on motivational climate under the three different pedagogical approaches. Results: The group taught with concepts from ecological dynamics (referred to as Ecological) displayed a significantly lower disempowering motivational climate in comparison to the group taught with a basis in information processing theory (referred to as IPT) and the traditional PE groups. The ecological group revealed significantly more autonomy support than the traditional PE and the IPT group. The IPT group methods provided significantly more structure than traditional PE and the ecological group. Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown how the approach 3 taken in delivering PE in primary schools may differentially affect motivational climates.Results imply that underpinning PE with theories of motor learning provides differing, viable and beneficial alternatives to create positive learning environments, compared to traditional PE practices.

Exploring Recommendations for Child and Adolescent Fundamental Movement Skills Development: A Narrative Review

“…The ideal FMS session is one which supports children to become proficient movers while also enhancing their motivation to partake in PA [ 98 ]. According to self-determination theory [ 99 , 100 ], an autonomy-supporting learning environment enhances motivation.…”

The association of children's motivation and physical activity levels with flipped learning during physical education lessons

“…Their randomised controlled trial assessed how these approaches in PE might affect children's PA and found no significant differences between the control and experimental groups with interventions based on the aforementioned pedagogical approaches. Fitton Davies et al (2021) compared the effectiveness of creating a motivational climate for primary students in PE lessons among traditional, ecological dynamics and information processing theory-based approaches. Their findings revealed a significantly lower disempowering motivational environment and higher autonomy support for the group taught with concepts from ecological dynamics.…”