Wowk, Kassandra

Teaching Games for Understanding: Leveling the Playing Field in Game Play and Assessment.

Key Words: Physical Education, Teaching Games for Understanding, Curriculum

Abstract

Within the next year elementary and high school Health and Physical Education teachers in Ontario will be faced with a new curriculum. A notable change in the curriculum is a suggested focus on the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) model. The aims of the model include developing tactical knowledge and decision-making in students by introducing transferable strategies and skills through four categories of games: territorial, net/wall, target, and striking/fielding. The intent of this study is to investigate the strengths and barriers associated with using the TGfU model in Physical Education classes. Five Health and Physical Education practitioners were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the effectiveness of the model. Findings from the research suggest that strengths of the model included an increase in student engagement and a decrease in anxiety during assessments, while the barriers included teachers’ attitudes and a lack of assessment resources.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost I would like to thank my participants. Without you this research would never have come into fruition. Your dedication to the field of Health and Physical Education is astounding and extremely motivating. Secondly I would like to thank Carolyn Temertzoglou for igniting a passion within me that I never new existed. You are truly an inspiration and a mentor. You are the breath of fresh air the Health and Physical Education world needs. I would also like to thank Tim Fletcher. You did not have to be involved, but I am so grateful you chose to be. You were always willing to share your knowledge, resources and encouragement. The Health and Physical Education field needs more researchers like you. Thank you to Clive Beck for the reassurance that doing things backwards can sometimes work out for the best. To my family and Matt thank you. It is because of your everlasting support both emotionally and sometimes physically which enabled me to tackle these two years. Last but not least, I would like to thank ‘The Girls’. It has been wonderful getting to grow with you throughout these two years. You are an amazing group of women who never cease to amaze me. Keep doing what you are doing, because you are incredible at it.