TITLE:
Effects of Cooperative Learning Model on Early Adolescents’ Social and Affective Learning Outcomes in Physical Education
AUTHORS:
Simona Nicolosi, Adriano Ancona
KEYWORDS:
Physical Self-Concept, Perceived Sports Competence, External Locus of Control, Psycho-Somatization, Social Pressure
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.10 No.4,
November
6,
2020
ABSTRACT: The study examined the effect of two
different teaching strategies on social skills, physical self-esteem, and
physical self-concept, in a sample of Italian Early Adolescents. One hundred
and twenty-eight students (M = 62; F = 66), from 11 to 14 years old (M = 12.01,
SD = 0.50), attending their Physical Education classes, were involved.
Participants were divided into an intervention group (n = 60) and a control
group (n = 68). The intervention group was engaged in PE lessons based on the
Cooperative Learning model with a focus on positive interdependence between
group mates and interpersonal skills in completing shared tasks, while the
control group participated in PE lessons conducted through competitive games,
individual drills and repetition of exercises as a means of perfecting skills
and procedures. In both groups, social skills, physical self-concept, and
physical self-efficacy were measured before and after the intervention. The
intervention had a significant positive impact on perceived sports competence
in boys, but no effect in girls. Related to the duration of the study, other
positive effects in boys were higher levels of physical self-efficacy and lower
levels of environmental pressure and tendency to psycho-somatization, while in
girls lower levels in external locus of control were observed. Implications for
physical education programs and physical self-research were discussed.