Effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring on Correct Performance of Striking Skills in 3rd Grade Physical Education

Abstract

Traditional approaches to instruction in physical education have focused on the teacher to provide feedback and assess student learning. In contrast, classwide peer tutoring in physical education (CWPT-PE) uses peers to help provide feedback and assessment. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess the effects of CWPT-PE on (a) number of total trials, (b) number and percentage of correct trials, and (c) teacher’s organization of lesson time. Also assessed was the extent to which students could accurately discriminate each other’s performance. Participants were 11 children in third grade who participated in a 20-lesson striking unit. Results show that during the intervention the children performed fewer total trials, generally more correct trials, and had a higher percentage of correct trials than during baseline. Moreover, the CWPT-PE intervention was similarly effective for lower and higher skilled girls. The teacher’s organization of lesson time remained mostly unaffected by the intervention. Finally, students accurately determined each other’s performance more than 90% of the time.