The Effects of Performance Standards on Behavior Patterns and Motor Skill Achievement in Children

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Abstract
The effect of individual performance standards on the relationship between selected process variables and achievement for students in elementary physical education classes is investigated. The subjects were 78 fourth-grade and 80 fifth-grade students from eight classes in two elementary schools. Two fourth grades and 2 fifth grades received standards, and 2 fourth grades and 2 fifth grades did not. A 1-week experimental teaching unit was used. A Solomon 4-group design was used to determine if there was a pretest effect. The data were analyzed in a Treatment (standard-no standard) × Pre (pretest-no pretest) × Sex × Grade MANOVA using posttest and motor-appropriate trials as the dependent measures; this analysis was followed up by two separate ANOVAs. Correlation was used to determine the relationship, if any, between behavior patterns and performance. The treatment group performed better than the control group, boys performed better than girls, and fifth graders performed better than fourth graders. Individuals with standards performed significantly better than those with no standards. The Pre × Treatment interaction suggested that having a pretest tends to standardize the amount of practice an individual takes. There was a positive relationship between motor-appropriate practice and performance regardless of treatment group. These data suggest that performance can be improved by individual performance standards and that care should be taken in using pre- and posttest methods for testing motor skills.

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