Teaching styles in physical education: the effects on physical activity levels of middle school students with different motivation types
Abstract
Self-determination theory (SDT) has been widely investigated to understand and change
an individual’s physical activity (PA) behavior in different settings (Deci & Ryan, 1985;
1991; 2000). The first purpose of this study was to examine if physical educators’
teaching style influences student needs that affect student motivation, which in turn
predict objectively measured student PA and MVPA levels (i.e., a serial mediator model).
The second purpose was to explore moderating role of students’ gender on those
relationships. 313 students from three middle schools in Wisconsin completed Learning
Climate Questionnaire modified from Williams and Deci (1996), Psychological Need
Scale and Need Frustration Scale adopted from Chen et al. (2015), and Physical
Education Questionnaire modified from (Aelterman et al., 2012) in a row to assess
perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching, experience of need satisfaction and need
frustration, and motivational outcomes, respectively. Participants’ PA and MVPA levels
were recorded using a GT3X+ accelerometer (Actigraph, Pensacola, FL) for four
consecutive PE lessons. It was found that although there was no gender effect on the
relationships of SDT constructs, there was an indirect mediating effects of competence
satisfaction and intrinsic motivation between autonomous teaching style and the students’
objectively measured PA and MVPA levels. The results showed that PE teachers’
autonomous teaching behavior is effective to promote students’ objectively measured PA
behavior during physical education lessons. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to how
to provide autonomous teaching to students efficiently in the PE setting.
Subject
Physical education and training
Motivation in education