Increasing Positive Sportsmanship in Elementary Physical Education Using Prosocial Behavior Interventions
Author: Shulman, Marc D.
Date: 2013-05-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses
Subjects: Violence,Action Research,Teacher Researchers,Physical Activity Level,Physical Education,Physical Activities,Student Attitudes,Parents,Prosocial Behavior,Research Projects,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary Schools,Sportsmanship,Grade 5,Parent Surveys,Student Surveys,Teacher Surveys,Observation,Check Lists,Intervention,Classroom Techniques,Role Playing,Journal Writing,Group Discussion,Worksheets

This action research project report was conducted because students' lack of sportsmanship skills in elementary school physical education was negatively affecting the physical activity level of many students. The teacher was spending classroom time giving attention to conflicts dealing with negative sportsmanship issues and therefore losing classroom time for students to be physically active. The purpose of this research project was to increase positive sportsmanship behaviors in 54 fifth-grade students, between August 27th and December 10th, 2012. Students' performance in physical education was being negatively affected by negative sportsmanship behaviors. Students would spend time arguing, yelling, and sometimes even physical violence would ensue. As a result students were losing time when they could be physically active. The teacher researcher collected data from a student survey, teacher survey, parent survey, and weekly observation behavior checklist. During pre-documentation the teacher researcher found through the parent survey that 55% (n = 17) of parents feel that sportsmanship is a problem at school. Through the student survey, many students 70% (n = 38) reported that they would always tell the truth even if it means that their team would not win. Through the observation behavior checklist, the teacher researcher found that the most common incidents of negative sportsmanship were participants blaming their teammates for poor play and arguing. After reviewing the literature, the teacher researcher decided upon weekly interventions including creating classroom rules, role-playing, journaling, and class discussions. Creating classroom rules allowed students to have ownership. Role-playing allowed students to interact with their classmates while learning methods to handle themselves in class situations. Journaling allowed students to reflect on their current level of sportsmanship and how they can improve and set goals for the future.  Class discussions were guided by the teacher researcher to facilitate good conversation, and hopefully allowed students to realize ways in which they could improve their sportsmanship behaviors in certain situations. The teacher researcher found that the students' feelings about their sportsmanship behaviors decreased as evidenced by the student survey results. After compiling the post-documentation results from the student surveys, there was a decrease in students' feelings of their sportsmanship behaviors as students reported 57% (n = 31) that they make decisions that are fair for everyone involved. This is compared to 80% (n = 43) of students reporting this in the pre-survey.  Students also reported 63% (n = 34) would always tell the truth even if it means their team would not win the game after the intervention period. This is compared to 70% (n = 38) of students reporting this during the pre-survey.  Both scores decreased from the pre-documentation results, which may have been caused by an increased awareness of students' perceptions of their sportsmanship behaviors. Ten appendixes present: (1) Parent Survey; (2) Student Survey; (3) Teacher Survey; (4) Observation Behavior Checklist; (5) Classroom Sportsmanship Rules; (6) Pictures of Students' Poster Boards with Sportsmanship Rules; (7) Sportsmanship Scenarios Worksheet; (8) Roleplaying Worksheet; (9) Being a Good Sport Worksheet; and (10) Sportsmanship Situations Worksheet.  (Contains 6 tables and 20 figures.)