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The Teaching Games for Understanding Approach: An Introductory Action Research Analysis
Josh Nicol
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Introduction
There has been a significant shift towards sedentary behaviour in our society. Gone are
the days where neighborhood kids can be found in the street playing road hockey, or in the park
playing baseball. Whenever I hear children ask their friends, “do you want to come over and
play?” it is usually to play video games. Physical inactivity has become a major issue for youth
in Canada. In fact, only 9% of children between the ages of 5-17 years meet the Canadian
moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity per day (ParticipAction, 2016). This is likely a
product of the amount of time children spend on their cell-phones, tablets, computers,
televisions, and video games. As a result, youth are not developing the fundamental movement
skills to become physically literate. In other words, kids may not be in the park playing baseball
because they do not have the skills or kinesthetic awareness required to throw and catch a ball.
these staggering statistics on a beautiful sunny day at the park; two kids were immersed on their
iPads, while their parents were busy setting up a picnic. I could not help but think to myself, “Go
run around and play!” Perhaps I am just being nostalgic of my childhood where I spent every
waking minute outside playing with my friends, but I have become deeply troubled by this
inspire my students to fall in love with physical activity again; however, this will be a continuous
well as promote healthy lifestyles and increase lifelong participation. This goal aligns with one of
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the Big Ideas in the new Physical Education and Healthy Living BC curriculum, which states,
“Lifelong participation in physical activity has many benefits and is an essential part of a healthy
I believe that one of the primary reasons why people do not enjoy physical activity is
because they have negative attitudes towards physical activity. This could be a result of
negative experiences with PE class in the past. Many people complain of poor quality instruction
and overly competitive situations, which contribute to an overall lack of self-efficacy in the
subject. Therefore, I must find a way to increase intrinsic motivation in physical education. This
The traditional model of physical education has been used for decades and often
involves direct instruction of an isolated skill for a sport-specific competition. Researchers David
Bunker and Rod Thorpe recognized how this model limited the transition of skills into gameplay,
which translates into lower activity adherence. In response, they designed a games approach
for physical education called Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), which teaches the
“Why” of a game before the “How” of a skill (Hopper & Kruisselbrink, 2001). The objective was
awareness, and decision-making. Teachers ask guided questions to help students build critical
thinking skills and an understanding of how certain skills transfer to different game types.
Therefore, students will hopefully gain an appreciation for a variety of games and continue to
participate in physical activities throughout their lifetime. I believe that TGfU is a valuable
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teaching model that physical educators can utilize to improve intrinsic motivation of students
spring practicum. I will be teaching four blocks of grade 8 and 9/10 physical education at Prince
Charles Secondary School in Creston, BC. My goal is to employ the Teaching Games for
I hope to determine whether or not this model increases intrinsic motivation in a physical
education setting. I expect to find an improved appreciation for activity; however, I have a
considerable bias. My background and involvement in sports contributes to a strong passion for
physical activity. I already love all types of games and I am very competitive. I understand that
not all students have this mentality. Therefore, it is important that I am cognisant of my bias.
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Literature/Theoretical Framework
Regular physical activity is one of the most significant aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise improves your physical fitness, mood, and energy levels, strengthens bones and
controls your weight. It also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and decreases stress
levels (Ryan & Dzewaltowski, 2002). Research has shown that regular physical activity
contributes to the prevention of several chronic diseases and is beneficial for mental health
(Doozan & Bae, 2016). This is especially important in adolescents who are at a critical stage of
growth and development. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (2018) recommends
that children between the ages of 5-17 years should accumulate 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous daily physical activity. Unfortunately, Canada falls well below the CSEP recommended
earned a D- grade on the ParticipAction report card study published in the 2016 global
assessment (Barnes et al., 2016). This suggests that the cultural norms of our society in
Canada support a sedentary lifestyle. This is exposed in the amount of screen time that people
engage in across the country. High school students spend an average of 8.2 hours a day on
Despite undeniable research that confirms the health benefits associated with physical
activity, physical education is still not perceived as an important subject. One study revealed a
quote from an administrator stating, ““so long as there is control and the children seem happy,
no one really minds [what happens in PE]” (Doozan & Bae, 2016). With administrative support
like this, it is no wonder that people have negative perceptions about PE. Although, it has been
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shown that attending physical education classes directly relates to better academic performance
it is not part of the academic core (Doozan & Bae, 2016). Physical education is often one of the
first departments that feels the effects of budget cuts, which can leave programs with limited
resources and poorly trained instructors (Doozan & Bae, 2016). Low quality teaching can
contribute to the negative attitudes associated with physical education. In some cases, physical
activity is perceived as a punishment. Teacher’s must be highly qualified and well educated in
order to change the stigma and build quality physical education programs that inspire children to
be active.
Exercise Adherence
One of the Big Ideas for Physical Education in the new BC curriculum promotes the
drop-off in exercise adherence as youth enter adulthood. Data from Statistics Canada (2016)
show a 20% decrease in self-reported leisure physical activity participation levels between the
age groups of 12-19 years to 35-44 years. Another study concluded that only about 5% of adults
in Canada and the United States engage in 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity physical
activity 5 days per week (Chatfield, 2015). This could be a result of declining attitudes towards
physical education. Subramaniam and Silverman (2007) published a study that determined
attitudes towards PE generally decrease as people get older. However, for adults who do
maintenance of physical activity is evident. Therefore, physical educators should focus on the
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
(Ryan & Dzewaltowski, 2002). It has been shown that self-efficacy relates positively to effort,
persistence, and achievement (Ennis, 2017). Research also suggests that competence and
theory of motivation that outlines how an individual who is intrinsically motivated is likely to
continue to participate in physical activity because they are driven by internal rewards such as
satisfaction and accomplishment (Van den Berghe et. al, 2012). In other words, students who
learn how to be successful in an activity will develop a sense of confidence and enjoyment,
which will likely lead to increased exercise adherence. Ennis (2017) describes how it is
important for PE teachers whose goal is to enhance students’ desire and participation in an
active lifestyle to focus on increasing students’ competence and autonomy. Researchers Bunker
and Thorpe recognized this and developed a teaching model that promotes self-efficacy and
competence.
designed by Bunker & Thorpe in 1982 for physical education (Johnson & Walker, 2016). They
recognized that the traditional skill-based model of PE limited the transition of skills into
gameplay. Therefore, the approach was proposed as a way of increasing skill transferability,
motivation, and participation by teaching the "Why" of a game before the "How" (Hopper &
Kruisselbrink, 2001). The TGfU model builds physical literacy and improves decision-making
through game-like activities that places students in situations where they are forced to
problem-solve and to make strategic decisions (Johnson & Walker, 2016). This contributes to
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the development of game appreciation and tactical awareness, where students are able to
transfer learning and skills to other game forms (Doozan & Bae, 2016). The use of guided
questions by the teacher allows students to critically think about how to become more
successful. Therefore, the use of this physical education model can be especially effective and
increase student competence, autonomy, and self-efficacy (Doozan & Bae, 2016).
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Secondary School. PCSS is part of School District #8, located in the small town of Creston, BC.
Creston has a population of approximately 4,000 people. The surrounding East Kootenay
communities bring that total up to around 15,000 people. PCSS itself has approximately 500
students in grades 8 to 12, the majority of which come from mid-low socioeconomic families.
chose to pursue this action research project because it builds off of my interest to promote
healthy living for my students. Physical inactivity has become a major issue for youth in Canada.
Only 9% of children between the ages of 5-17 years meet the CSEP recommended guidelines
indicates that there is a correlation between intrinsic motivation in sport and activity and
exercise adherence and intrinsic motivation can be broken down into self-efficacy and
intrinsic motivation for students in a physical education setting. My critical question states: Does
the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) model in a physical education class contribute
to improved competence and self-efficacy around physical activity? Data collection occurred
throughout the week of February 26, 2018 - Mar 2, 2018. Unfortunately, there were a number of
limitations to this study. A Likert-type survey was used for primary data collection. However,
Likert-type scales fail to measure the true attitudes of participants as people are often influenced
by the order of questions and tend to avoid choosing extreme options on the scale. The format
of the survey also appeared to confuse participants as many questions were misinterpreted or
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left unanswered. Furthermore, there were some limitations with the implementation of the TGfU
model during Physical Education lessons. PCSS operates on a linear timetable and data
collection took place during my observation week. This meant I was only able to observe two
lessons with each particular class. This was also my first time meeting the class, which means I
spent the majority of my time and effort getting to know the students and learning names.
Additionally, I was primarily observing, which meant I was not able to fully teach a TGfU lesson.
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Disclaimer
Limitations restricted any form of implementation of the Teaching Games for Understanding
TGfU Overview
The TGfU model involves a six stage model designed to increasing skill transferability,
2. Game Appreciation - Students develop an appreciation for the game through play.
3. Tactical Awareness - Students identify certain skills, concepts and strategies that
After stage six of the model, the cycle repeats itself. Game modifications are constructed
promote student success and learning. As the student's proficiency progresses, modifications
can be made to make the game more complex. These modifications generally emphasize a
specific concept or skill. Teachers ask guided questions during stage three to help students gain
an understanding of how to be successful and how certain skills transfer to different situations.
To do so, questions must presented in a way that cannot be answered with a simple "Yes" or
"No", such as: How were you successful? What did you do to...? How does this skill relate to…?
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Methodology
The objective of this Action Research Project was to implement the Teaching Games for
Understanding pedagogical approach into physical education classes at the grade 8 and 9/10
level. Ideally, the duration of instruction would have been throughout an entire unit; however, the
only availability was during a week observation. There were limited opportunities for instruction
and implementation of the TGfU model, therefore, for future research purposes, methodology
Prior to the commencement of the research, an interview with the sponsor teacher will
take place. The interview takes place prior to the TGfU model implementation to limit response
bias. The sponsor teacher will act as an expert, having taught physical education for over a
decade. The interview will involve a number of questions that relate to student performance,
attitudes, participation, and adherence. Other questions will pertain to individual teaching style.
and physical education, a Likert-type survey was issued out to the students. (See Appendix A
for sample of the survey). The survey would be distributed to all four classes. Unfortunately, only
two classes completed the survey. Once a baseline was determined, a TGfU unit would be
administered to three experimental groups: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. Class 4 would remain
as a control group and continue with traditional lessons. After ten lessons (a one-month linear
unit) students from each class would retake the survey. Results would be analyzed and
compared with the previous baseline scores to determine if a change in feelings of self-efficacy
The TGfU unit would follow the six stage model outlined above. The unit would focus on
common invasion games, such as Ultimate Frisbee and Team Handball. Classes 1, 2, and 3
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would experience a number of modified games followed by guided questioning. Games would
appropriate. The instructor would go through the same list of guided questions but student
responses are likely to vary between classes. Class 4 (control group) would experience the
situations. Throughout the unit, observational assessment of student skill performance will take
place. This occurs in the sixth stage of the TGfU model. These observations will be recorded on
a Google Doc observation journal to supplement data. Observations of student attitude will also
be recorded.
Data Collection
Data collection occurred throughout the week of February 26, 2018 - Mar 2, 2018.
Information from the sponsor teacher interview will be recorded onto a Google Doc. The
Likert-type survey that was administered was designed to provide descriptive research
information about motivating factors associated with participation in physical activity. Questions
pertained to current levels of physical activity participation, plans of continued participation, and
feelings of enjoyment, competence, and self-efficacy. Prior to distribution of the survey, it was
clearly noted that participation in the survey was voluntary. Students had the option not to
participate. Anonymity and confidentiality were also ensured as students were encouraged not
to put their names on the survey. The procedure involved answering eleven questions. (See
Appendix A for sample of the survey). Results were recorded onto a Google Spreadsheet. Any
sampling errors and were eliminated from the data set. Daily observations of student
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Triangulation of Data
The data obtained from the sponsor teacher interview, survey, and performance and
attitude observations will be compared and contrasted. Results from the sponsor teacher
suggest that his teaching style is traditional, but not completely removed from the TGfU model.
Although his units are comprised of standard two-week sports, his use of guided questions and
Therefore, the control group’s response to the follow-up survey will not be authentic to the
traditional model for PE. Observations of student performance and attitude were not completed.
It is expected that students would experience increased enjoyment and participation levels
would go up. It is also expected that students would develop physical literacy and fundamental
movement skills that translate to a variety of game situations. Therefore, it is also expected that
the results from the follow-up survey response would indicate that the experimental groups
Analysis
Only two classes (42 students) completed the survey to provide baseline scores. As the
TGfU unit was not implemented, the follow-up survey was never administered. Results were
recorded onto a Google Spreadsheet and tallied and analyzed to determine mean scores. The
limited results that were obtained indicate that 91% of students participate in physical activity
because they enjoy it. 71% of students strongly agree (SA) and agreed (A) that they participate
in 60 minutes of daily physical activity and 95% of students SA or A that they plan on continuing
to participate in physical activity throughout their life. The results suggests that students already
have a fairly positive outlook on physical activity and physical education. The majority of
students also believe that they possess the fundamental skills (52% A, 38% SA) and tactical
knowledge (45% A, 48% SA) necessary to succeed in physical education. Only 2% of students
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disagreed (D) that they possessed the confidence in their abilities to participate in physical
activities outside of school. 79% of students believed that they learn more during game play
compared to skill practice. (See Survey Results in Appendix B). These results were higher than
expected.
Future Changes
There were a number of limitations to this study. The most significant limitation was the
fact that the majority of my research was strictly hypothetical. Another considerable limitation
was the design and format of the survey. A Likert-type survey was used for primary data
collection; however, these scales often fail to measure true attitudes of participants, as it offers
closed-ended questions that limit student response to varying levels of agreeance. Students are
often influenced by the order of questions, and demonstrate a high acquiescence bias, as
students likely respond in a manner that would please the teacher. Therefore, the accuracy and
validity of the survey was poor. The format of the survey also appeared to confuse participants
as many questions were misinterpreted or left unanswered. The diction of the survey also
appeared to be far too complex for many of the students who struggle with reading. Therefore, a
complete restructure of the survey should be considered for future research. Many of the
questions also did not directly measure what was intended. One question in particular focused
on the idea of gameplay as an effective teaching strategy compared to the traditional model;
however, the wording was ambiguous and misleading. As a result, many students who filled out
the survey left this question blank. Possible considerations for data collection could be verbal
interviews with the students; however, this would take a considerable amount of time. Other
alternatives could be to develop a more precise questionnaire or survey and go through the
process of statistical analysis to interpret the results. As for the teaching methodology, because
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
“Gym teachers have such an easy job. All they have to do is roll out the balls and sit
back.” I am often greeted with this comment when I mention that I am pursuing a career in
physical education. Unfortunately, this seems to be a common public perception. The subject is
not considered to be an academic core and many programs experience little support from
administration. An administrator even stated, ““so long as there is control and the children seem
happy, no one really minds [what happens in PE]” (Doozan & Bae, 2016). These negative
attitudes towards physical education contribute to the lack of physical literacy among youth
across Canada. I chose to enter the field of education because I recognized that this is an issue,
and I believe that I can make a difference. I became inspired to after watching an online video of
CAHPERD 2016 keynote speaker Dean Kriellaars. He emphasizes how physical literacy is just
as crucial as literacy to the acquisition of essential life skills by all children, youth, and adults. It
is hard to imagine Canadians standing idly by if 44% of children between the ages of 8-12 met
the minimum recommended level of literacy. If less than 50% of kids in Canada could read,
there would be a national outcry; however, when only 44% of children meet the recommended
The results of my research indicate that student attitudes towards physical activity and
physical education remains high. The struggle will be to encourage students to maintain this
level of enjoyment. Subramaniam and Silverman (2007) published a study that determined
attitudes towards PE generally decrease as people get older. This was evident in my survey
results, as 95% of grade 8 students indicated that they participated in physical activity because
they enjoyed it. This number dropped to 86% for grade 9/10 students. Based on my literature
analysis, I concluded that key contributing factors to increasing exercise adherence and
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enjoyment is to improve intrinsic motivation. Individuals who are driven by internal rewards, such
as satisfaction and accomplishment, are more likely to develop a lifelong appreciation for
because individuals who have the skills and belief in their ability to succeed will be more likely
sustain an active relationship. My goal was to use the TGfU model as a way to improve intrinsic
implement it and, therefore have no data about the model to interpret. The only information I
I was surprised when I discovered how many students identified that they learned more
during Skill Practice compared to Game Play. 21% of students selected skill practice. I expected
the number to be far lower, and for almost all students to prefer gameplay. Therefore, it is
important to consider incorporating learning opportunities that are specific to skills practice in my
teaching. Traditional methods of breaking down games into isolated skill work does have
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Conclusion
I have become very concerned with the growing health concerns amongst youth across
Canada and the issue of inactivity. The sedentary behavior statistics are both terrifying and
heartbreaking. I believe that educators stand on a very influential platform that can contribute to
positive and healthy change for the lives of students. I have a strong passion for physical activity
and a healthy lifestyle, and one of the reasons why I became a teacher is because I want to
make a difference. I hope to help students develop healthy habits that students will adopt and
carry out throughout their lives. This action research project has introduced me to a new
The Teaching Games for Understanding model presents a terrific approach that can be
engaging and practical for students. I have learned how to make modifications to sports, games,
and activities to suit students developmental needs, and how to encourage students to think
critically about how to improve. This model requires a teacher who must be enthusiastic,
passionate, and committed to the process and I am excited to put it into practice. This project
has also enlightened me to my existing bias and how not all students love physical education. It
will become a goal of mine to reach these individuals and hopefully positively impact them.
I have also learned that the TGfU approach is not a perfect model; however, I do not
know of any model that is. While I believe that this model can be effective, I also realize it has
limitations and that a dedicated educator is also a lifelong learner, constantly looking for new
ways to improve. Therefore, my action research journey is not over. In fact, I do not think it
technically began because of how the research portion of this project was hypothetical.
Although I am excited to implement this model, I will be on the lookout for other approaches and
techniques that can help inspire students to become more physically active.
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References
Active Healthy Kids Canada. (2014). The 2014 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on
dfront.net/reportcard2014/AHKC_2014_ReportCard_ENG.pdf
Butler, J., Griffin, L. (2010). More teaching games for understanding: moving globally.
Colley,C.R., Garriguet, D., Janssen, I., Craig, L.C., Clarke, J., Tremblay, S.M. (2011). Physical
activity of Canadian children and youth: Accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009
Doozan, A., & Bae, M. (2016). Teaching Physical Literacy to Promote Healthy Lives: TGfU and
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18666/TPE-2016-V73-I3-6364
Engström, L. (2008). Who is physically active? Cultural capital and sports participation from
adolescence to middle age—a 38-year follow-up study. Physical Education & Sport
Mindfulness, Motivation, and Meaning. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport,
Hopper, T., & Kruisselbrink, D. (2001). Teaching Games for Understanding: What does it look
like and how does it influence student skill acquisition and game performance? Journal
http://web.uvic.ca/~thopper/WEB/articles/JTPE/TGFU.htm
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Johnson, I. L., & Walker, E. R. (2016). Teaching Games for Understanding: Building a
Physically Literate Individual. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 87(6),
47-49. doi:10.1080/07303084.2016.1192922
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiwqLuod4EM&t=626s
www.participACTION.com/reportcard.
Plessner, H. (2016). Teaching Games for Understanding and the Psychology of Intuition.
doi:10.1080/02701367.2016.1200407
Prithwi Raj, Subramaniam, P. R., & Silverman, S. (2007). Middle school students’ attitudes
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.02.003
Van den Berghe, Vansteenkiste, Cardon, Kirk, and Haerens. (2012) Research on
10.1080/17408989.2012.732563
Ryan, G. J., & Dzewaltowski, D. A. (2002). Comparing the Relationships Between Different
Types of Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity in Youth. Health Education & Behavior,
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Appendix A
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Appendix B
Survey Results
SD D N A SA
1. I participate in light-moderate physical activity at
least 60 minutes a day 0% 2% 26% 33% 38%
2. I plan to continue to participate in physical
activities throughout my life 0% 4% 7% 38% 50%
3. I enjoy physical activity 0% 0% 5% 39% 56%
4. I enjoy Phys Ed class 0% 0% 7% 40% 53%
5. I enjoy Phys Ed class more when we play games 0% 0% 15% 37% 49%
6. I have the fundamental skills necessary to
succeed in physical activities 0% 0% 10% 52% 38%
7. I have the tactical knowledge necessary to
succeed in physical activities 0% 0% 7% 45% 48%
8. I feel confident in my ability to participate in
physical activities outside of school 0% 2% 12% 34% 51%
9. I plan on taking Phys Ed class in grade 11 & 12 2% 10% 10% 29% 50%
10. I learn more in Phys Ed class during... Skill Practice Game Play
21% 79%
Gr 8 Gr 9/10 Average
11. I participate in physical activity because... I enjoy it 95% 86% 91%
I am good at it 50% 59% 55%
My friends participate 45% 63% 54%
It is part of a healthy lifestyle 55% 59% 57%
I want to impress my
parents/peers 30% 32% 31%
I want to win the trophy/medal 25% 32% 29%
I have to do it 25% 23% 24%