Background/Purpose Sport education provides learners with authentic sport experiences (Siedentop, 1998). This study examined what motivated and engaged students in a floor hockey unit using the sport education curriculum model. The floor hockey unit was implemented in a high school with smaller teams and fewer roles due to contextual constraints.
Method A qualitative study was conducted using participatory and non-participant observation and informal and structured interviews (Patton, 2001) over an eight-week period. Participants included one physical education teacher and 30 ninth-grade students. Weekly, 2~3 observations and informal interviews were conducted, followed by structured interviews with the teacher and four interviews with 12 students. All data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using open and axial coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Data from multiple sources were triangulated to ensure trustworthiness.
Analysis/Results Two themes emerged from data analysis. First, the floor hockey unit transformed students from passive into active learners. The transformation was reflected in team autonomy and problem solving through affiliation. Second, smaller teams produced higher engagement and perceived self-worth. The higher engagement was particularly observed with students who rarely participated in the traditional team sport unit, and was reflected through their willingness to “work together” to be successful.
Conclusions The finding echoed that member affiliation played a critical role for sport education (Wallhead & O'Sullivan, 2005). The results also pointed to the importance of learning autonomy and problem solving that transformed students into active learners. It also appears that smaller teams and fewer roles contributed to higher engagement.