Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science

Physical Education and Sports Teachers' Perceptions to Benefit from Web 2.0 Tools in Face-to-face Education after Emergency Remote Teaching Process: A Mixed Method Research

2023-05-29T11:59:30+02:00

This study aims to explore the perceptions of physical education and sports teachers regarding the use of Web 2.0 tools, which they employed during the COVID-19 emergency remote teaching process, in face-to-face education. A mixed-method approach was utilized, incorporating individual in-depth interviews and a survey administered to physical education and sports teachers working in public schools during the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The study revealed that teachers generally have a positive attitude toward integrating Web 2.0 tools into face-to-face education, leveraging competencies they developed during the emergency remote teaching process. The findings indicate that teachers’ competencies in utilizing Web 2.0 tools in face-to-face education were at a moderate level. Furthermore, younger teachers, those with postgraduate education, and those who had received prior training on Web 2.0 tools exhibited higher levels of competence. Based on the results, recommendations are provided to further enhance teachers' competency levels and perceptions of Web 2.0 tools.

Physical Activity Intervention Program in Nature with University Students Under COVID-19 Mobility Restrictions

2024-11-05T14:01:22+01:00

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a physical-sports activity program in nature on life satisfaction, emotional intelligence, and anxiety in university students during COVID-19 mobility restrictions.
Methods: A controlled trial was conducted involving 40 students from the Faculty of Sport Sciences, randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; n = 20) or a control group (CG; n = 20). The EG participated in an intervention program based on outdoor physical sports activities, while the CG did not engage in any additional activities. The intervention was implemented within the context of restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and assessments were conducted before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the program.
Results: The analyses revealed statistically significant improvements in the experimental group in life satisfaction, emotional attention, and state anxiety compared to the control group. No significant differences were found in emotional clarity, emotional repair, or trait anxiety.
Conclusion: The results suggest that engaging in physical sports activities in nature, even under confinement circumstances, positively affects life satisfaction and certain aspects of emotional intelligence and anxiety in university students.

Enhancing Cognitive Function through Physical Education: The Impact of Physical Education Activity on Attention and Focus

2024-11-21T12:19:19+01:00

Aim: This study investigates the impact of an enhanced physical education (PE) program on attentional functions in middle school students. The aim is to evaluate whether increasing physical education hours, with an emphasis on cognitive tasks and team-based activities, could positively influence students' executive functions.

Methods: The study involved four middle school classes in Italy: two classes participated in the standard PE curriculum lessons with two hours per week, while the other two classes engaged in an intensified program with four hours weekly, focusing more on team-play and activities that develop cognitive skills.

Results: Findings indicate that students in the intensified program demonstrated faster and more accurate attention responses than those in the control group. This suggests that a more holistic physical education approach, incorporating both cognitive challenges and strategic team exercises, may enhance students' executive functioning.

Conclusion: These findings are relevant for designing educational programs that leverage physical activity to boost academic performance. They also underscore the value of integrating physical activity into the broader educational curriculum, positioning it as a core component that contributes to students' cognitive growth and overall learning experience, rather than merely a means for physical education.

Quality of Life and Its Association with Physical Activity, Physical Fitness, and Enjoyment of Physical Education in Youth: A Study on Gender Differences

2024-12-06T12:58:20+01:00

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adolescents, with declines in physical activity (PA) and fitness (PF), partly due to school closures. Physical education (PE) in schools plays a crucial role in promoting well-being and PA. Research suggests gender differences in PA and PF, and also in responses to PE.

A total of 176 adolescents (48.3% girls; mean age 15.6 ± 0.6) reported gender, age, weekly PA, HRQoL (Kidscreen-10), and enjoyment in PE (FEFS-J). PF was assessed using the German motor performance test 6-18.

Results showed that girls had significantly lower HRQoL and enjoyment in PE scores than boys, but not in PA or PF. Significant positive correlations between HRQoL and all 3 dimensions of PE enjoyment were found in girls (r_s = 0.31-0.54), while in boys, only pleasure showed a significant correlation with HRQoL (r_s=0.32). Multiple regression analyses showed that pleasure in PE was positively associated with HRQoL for both girls (beta=0.49; R²=0.30) and boys (beta=0.52; R²=0.09).

In conclusion, the results highlight the importance of enjoyment in PE for HRQoL in both genders. Teachers should adapt their planned activities considering the different manner in which enjoyment of PE is experienced by boys and girls.

Boredom or Fun? Impact of Perception of Physical Education Class on Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Mexican Children

2024-12-10T21:07:56+01:00

The aim is to determine the predictive effect of Satisfaction/Fun, boredom, the importance of Physical Education (PE) classes, and intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) on the level of physical activity (PA) in primary school children. This is a cross-sectional causal study. A total of 519 children from the states of Jalisco and Nuevo León participated, with an average age of 10.50 ± 0.94 years. Inclusion criteria included signed informed consent; children with any pathology were excluded. The analysis included descriptive statistics and multiple linear relationships. The results showed high levels (M > 4) of Satisfaction/Fun, importance and usefulness of PE classes, and intention to practice LTPA; moderate to low levels of PA and boredom. Significant differences (p = .001) were found in PA levels by gender and state and in the importance of PE classes by gender. Fun/Satisfaction and intention to engage in LTPA were the best predictors of PA with values of B = .25; B = .19; F (2,516); (p = .001); R² = .15. PE classes should include strategies that promote student satisfaction and fun and reintegrate the learning unit into the current curriculum framework.

Communicative Self-confidence and Motivation: An Educational Experience of Linguistic Immersion and Leisure in Nature

2025-02-13T12:07:33+01:00

Communicative self-confidence and motivation play a crucial role in learning any language, including English. The absence of these elements significantly impacts students' ability to express themselves naturally and fluently. In Spain, language immersion programs seek to promote the simultaneous learning of language skills in a communicative context, facilitating learners' proficiency development. This study focuses on analyzing the influence of the natural environment and leisure activities on learning English as a second language (L2), investigating whether participation in a language immersion program in nature improves learners' communicative self-confidence and whether they perceive greater empowerment compared to conventional English classes. Participants were 305 students of Secondary Education, of whom 172 were female. Results indicate that students who participated in the language immersion program experienced significant improvements in their communicative self-confidence and perceived greater relatedness support (Z=-3.55; p < .001; δ = -.21 and Z=-5.26; p < .001; δ = -.32, respectively). These findings highlight how the natural environment provides a conducive environment for the development of communicative and social skills, reducing language anxiety and improving students' self-confidence, and points to the importance of exploring basic psychological needs to understand the interaction between students, teachers, and environment in the process of learning English.

Validation of the Teachers' Personal and Professional Skills Questionnaire in the Czech Physical Education Setting

2025-03-12T20:14:19+01:00

Personal (PSs) and professional (PRs) skills are necessary to any physical education (PE) teacher, potentially having an impact on the quality of teaching and students' engagement in PE. In recent years, the Teachers’ Personal and Professional Skills Questionnaire (TPPS-Q), composed of two 5-item dimensions (PSs and PRs), has been developed and tested. This study aims to test the validity of the TPPS-Q in the Czech school context. The analysis of the questionnaire and its structure, which was based on responses from 135 pupils enrolled in the last grades of Czech primary schools, was performed using the software AMOS for structural equation modeling. Results suggest that the structural model is appropriate after removing two items (CFI = .981; RMSEA = .058; SRMR = .041). Internal validity was good for both PSs (Alpha = .811; Omega = .814) and PRs (Alpha = .795; Omega = .794). Reliability was also found to be good (PSs: ICC = .888; PRs: ICC = .760). Additional scores were assessed for convergent and discriminant validity. The final 8-item version is valid and can be used in the Czech school environment.