SERAJ AL-MONEER Middle School Students' Game Play Performance and Levels of Enjoyment While Engaged in Two Curricular Models

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research study was to determine if middle school students' game play success and enjoyment would be impacted within a four week period. Game play was assessed using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) and enjoyment was measured with the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PEAS). The SERAJ AL-MONEER Middle School students experienced soccer for four weeks. They spend two weeks within a traditional technically focused Physical Education (PE) unit and two weeks in using the teaching game for understanding approach (TGFU). This study was conducted with grade seven and eight students in intact classes.

Both the GPAI and the PAES were administered at the conclusion of each two week unit. Statistical analyses were employed to determine differences based on grade level or teaching methodology utilized.

Results of this study found that the grade levels and treatment types had no significant main effects on neither enjoyment nor performance measures. Interaction of grade levels and treatment types was found to have significant effect on game performance measures. It was found that the participants from grade seven perceived significantly higher average performance score with TGfU than traditional PE. The finding is reversed for grade eight participants. The grade eight participants perceived significantly higher average performance score with traditional PE than TGfU.