The Sport Education Model: motivation and life skills in Physical Education

Motivation and life skills with the Sport Education Model

Abstract

The goal of this study was to evaluate, taking Self-Determination Theory as a reference, the effects, according to the students’ gender, of an educational intervention program based on the Sport Education model on motivational variables and, consequently, on leadership skills, interpersonal communication, teamwork, and problem solving. A pre-experimental design with pre-post measures and no control group was developed. A total of 82 students (34 girls and 48 boys; M = 14.24, DT = .51) belonged to three groups of 3º ESO participated in the study. The intervention lasted seven weeks (14 lessons). Prior and after the program four assessment questionnaire were used: Interpersonal Teaching Style, Social Basic Psychological Needs Scale, Motivation Scale and Life Skills Questionnaire. At the end of the intervention, girls, with respect to boys, showed better results in self-determined motivation and life skills. Therefore, this study suggests that this pedagogical model could be useful as a strategy to promote an inclusive educational environment in which girls can feel in an environment where they can enhance their skills, thus changing the perception towards the subject of Physical Education.