Scheduled for Poster Session: Research on Teaching and Instruction in Schools and Higher Education, Thursday, April 10, 2008, 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Effects of a Tactical Game Approach on Tennis Skills

Suna Tuzcuoglu1, Ferman Konukman2, Hulya Gokmen3, Aylin Celen3, Andac Keskin3 and Serkan Alper Baser3, (1)Akcakoca Ticaret Meslek Lisesi, Duzce, Turkey, (2)SUNY-Brockport, Brockport, NY, (3)Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey

The purpose of tactical game approach is to improve students' game performance via combination of tactical awareness and skill execution (Mitchell, Oslin, & Griffin, 2006). Although there have been studies about the effects tactical game approach on changes in cognitive strategy in tennis (McPherson & French, 1991), and badminton performance of ninth-grade students (French et al., 1996), there had been no research especially for the effects of tactical game approach on tennis psychomotor skills. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of tactical game approach on tennis skills in a PETE program. The data were obtained from 16 undergraduate physical education majors enrolled in a tennis course at a university. Subjects were seven female, nine male students (N=16) and assigned to two groups as experimental group (n=8) and control group (n=8). The experimental group completed 4-week, twice a week, two hours tactical game approach tennis module, level one (Mitchell, Oslin, & Griffin, 2006) and control group received 4-week, twice a week, two hours direct instruction only in same content. The results of this study were gathered from AAHPERD Tennis Skill Test Battery (1989) for forehand, backhand and serve skills. In addition, micro tennis game sessions recorded and analyzed observing video tapes with tennis Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI). Moreover, every forehand, backhand, and serve skill recorded via camera during tennis skill test for individual skill analysis. A pre-test and post-test experimental design was applied. The Mann Whitney U test was conducted and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used to determine pre-to post-test changes within the groups. Alpha set at p< 0.5. The results showed that although were no significant differences found between the experimental and control groups (p>0.05) in forehand, backhand, serve skill performances, forehand, backhand powers and forehand, backhand, serve skill analysis results. Control group improved significantly in serve power (p<0.05). On the contrary, experimental group significantly improved in micro tennis game performance (p<0.05). The results of this study revealed that tactical game approach can be an effective instructional method to improve game performance. On the other hand, direct instruction can be used in individual skill refinement like tennis serve power. This study has limitations such as the characteristics of subjects, tests, and the measurements that were applied. Therefore, further studies should address the effects of tactical game approach on different individual, team sport skills, ages and participants with a longer intervention.
Keyword(s): curriculum, motor skills, pre-service/student

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