The effects of task organization on skill and knowledge in physical education

The study examined the effects of different methods of practice three track and field skills (hurdles, high jump and shot put) on students performance, from both qualitative (systematic observation), and quantitative (time, height, and distance) perspectives, and also their knowledge of the events. One hundred and twenty-two students (71 boys and 51 girls of 13.4±1.2 years) from a high school participated in nine lessons in which they used three different types organization of practice. Results show that the organization of practice had a significant effect on performance for lower and medium skill level students, but improvements differed across events. For example, students made significant improvements in shot put when practicing in lines, and for hurdles when practiced in games. These results reinforce the idea that is important for physical education teachers these variables when planning lessons.