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A social-constructivist approach in physical education: Influence of dyadic interactions on tactical choices in an instructional team sport setting

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of dyadic verbal peer interactions in a team sport such as handball. Participants, 20 boys and 20 girls aged between 11 and 12, were assigned to two learning condition groups. The task was an instructional setting in team handball (2 attackers against 1 defender in each half court). The experimental group with verbal exchanges was expected to obtain higher performances in the post-tests than those who had not interacted verbally between playing sequences. The secondary objective was to investigate whether dyadic gender had an effect on tactical choice and cognitive skills in playing games. The experiment demonstrated the superiority of the dyadic verbal interaction group over the non-interactive group as regards tactical choices and action projects. It also showed gender differences since males performed better females with regard to action efficiency. The results are discussed within the theoretical framework of the social psychology of acquisition and development and within that of teaching for understanding. In conclusion, the socio-constructivist approach would seem to be pertinent in team sport decision-making tasks.

Résumé

Cette étude se propose de mettre en évidence le rôle des interactions verbales en dyades paritaires dans l’apprentissage d’un sport collectif comme le handball. Les participants, 20 garçons et 20 filles, âgées de 11 à 12 ans, étaient répartis en deux groupes selon la condition d’apprentissage. La tâche est une situation de jeu réduite du handball: 2 attaquants contre 1 défenseur dans chaque moitié du terrain. Les participants du groupe expérimental, bénéficiant d’interactions verbales entre pairs, étaient supposés obtenir de meilleurs résultats aux post-tests que ceux du groupe témoin, n’ayant pas interagi verbalement entre les séquences de jeu. Le second objectif était d’observer si le genre avait un effet sur les performances tactiques et sur les connaissances en jeu. L’expérimentation démontre la supériorité du groupe bénéficiant d’interactions verbales en dyades par rapport au groupe n’ayant pas interagi au regard des choix tactiques et du projet d’action. En outre des différences de genre ont été trouvées dans le sens où les garçons obtiennent de meilleures performances que les filles au niveau de l’efficacité de l’action. Ces résultats sont discutés dans la perspective théorique des travaux de psychologie sociale des acquisitions et du développement et dans le courant de l’apprentissage par la compréhension. Cette étude expérimentale démontre un intérêt pour une approche socio-constructiviste de la prise de décision en sports collectifs.

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Correspondence to Florence Darnis-Paraboschi.

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Darnis-Paraboschi, F., Lafont, L. & Menaut, A. A social-constructivist approach in physical education: Influence of dyadic interactions on tactical choices in an instructional team sport setting. Eur J Psychol Educ 20, 171–184 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173506

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173506

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