The use of digital technology to improve physical education learning of technical skills: case of sprint running

Abstract

Purpose: in the last few years, the use of digital technology (DT) as support in teaching and learning has grown significantly. However, its implication and benefits in teaching physical education seems to be a neglected topic.Methods: a randomized controlled experimental study was conducted to investigate the effect a four-week period of alternating video observation (VO) with classical teaching of a physical education program on the kinematics of lower body joint and trunk angles in the sagittal plane at the “set” position of a sprint starts and their outcomes on the starting-blocks clearance performance and short distance sprint running performance within male middle school students. (62) students were equally allocated to a control group (CG, $\mathrm{n}=31;$Mean ± SD: age: $14.4\pm 0.8$ years; body mass: $52\pm 7.4\mathrm{kg}$; height: $165\pm 10.1$ cm) and a video observation group (VOG, $\mathrm{n}=31;$Mean ± SD: age: $14.8\pm 0.6$ years; body mass: $54.3\pm 6.5\mathrm{kg}$; height: 162 ±9.5 cm) their kinematics of lower body joint and trunk angles in the sagittal plane at the “set” position from a starting block and sprint performance were tested before and after 4-weeks intervention.Results: for kinematics of sagittal plane at the “set” position, the VOG adapted a more privileged and secure posture on blocks after intervention: rear leg knee angle (from $112.9\pm 29^{\circ}$ to $118.0\pm 7.4^{\circ})$, front leg knee angle (from $98.7\pm 14.0^{\circ}$ to $92\pm 3.84^{\circ}$) and trunk lean angle (from $23.2\pm 8.75^{\circ}$ to $21.05\pm 5.7^{\circ}$), all changes were at significant level of <5%. For the performance over 5m, 10m sprint and block clearance times, the VOG presented moderate ($ d=-2; p=0.011$), very large ($d=-3.9; p=0.017$) and large ($d=-1.1; p=0.048$) improvement in performance (lower values) for 5m time, for 10m time and for block clearance times, respectively. However, the changes for the CG weren’t statistically significant at $p\lt0.05$.Conclusion: The present study’s findings revealed that an alternate of video visualization and classical physical education teaching improved the kinematics of lower body joint and trunk angles in the sagittal plane at the “set” position of a sprint start, as well as the starting blocks clearance performance and short distance sprint running performance.