The Impact of Sport Education on Chinese Physical Education Majors’ Volleyball Competence and Knowledge

Abstract

The Sport Education curriculum model, while well studied in primary and secondary school settings, has been much less evaluated in university physical education. In this study, 110 Chinese university students were randomly assigned to participate in 6 classes taught using either Sport Education or a more traditional teacher-directed style. Data were collected on the students’ skill execution, game performance, and knowledge. Over the course of a 16-week term, all participants showed significant improvements. However, the Sport Education students’ gain scores were significantly higher after controlling for pretest scores. It is suggested that the features of Sport Education that have been shown to motivate students in previous studies (persisting teams, developmentally appropriate competition, and taking roles other than player) serve to stimulate students toward achieving the multiple goals of Chinese university physical education.