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Special Edition: Global Lesson Study for a Better Game-Based Approach

18/8/2021

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By Naoki Suzuki Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Tokyo Gakugei University (Japan)
​

[email protected]
Lesson Study (Jugyo-Kenkyu), which developed in Japan, is attracting attention from around the world as a place for a professional development opportunity. In this article, I will introduce the Global Lesson Study, which is an attempt to gather people from all over the world to think about better game teaching. In the Global Lesson Study, the main activities are "watching research lessons" and "discussion about the lessons. Through these initiatives, we place importance on reflection to create better lessons.
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​Figure 1 Video Clip with Subtitles
A video clip with subtitles and Lesson plan were sent to the participants prior to the workshop. Then, after watching it, participants were encouraged to post their questions and opinions on Padlet for discussion before participating in the workshop.
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​Figure 2: Contents of the Padlet
In the workshop, the practitioner talked about the basic idea of the lesson and reflections on the practice, using slides. Based on this, small groups of 3-4 participants presented their opinions that they had prepared in advance, and then decided on a theme to discuss. We used Jamboard to organize these discussions. All team members should be able to explain what they had discussed in about two minutes using Jamboard. This was also a way to overcome the language barrier and encourage participation. After that, we gathered as a whole to confirm the discussion, and then divided into different groups from the group members we discussed earlier to discuss specific ways to improve the lesson. In conducting the discussion, each person made a presentation using Jamboard, discussed specific improvements based on the presentation, and wrote the contents in a Google Document shared by the whole group. Since all the groups' writings could be checked on a single sheet, the practitioner was encouraged to look at it and reflect again on their own teaching practices. At the end of the discussion, in the plenary session, practitioner reflected on the content of the previous discussions and presented his reflection and direction for improvement. The workshop then ended with the commentators summarizing and valuing the discussions.
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​Figure. 3 Example of Jamboard contents
​Table 1: Contents of Google Document
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In the May workshop, Mr. Fujimoto, a teacher at Masago Elementary School in Niigata City, proposed a ball game for first graders. This lesson was developed around a game, and the discussion centered on the pros and cons of game modification and questioning. Some of the participants from the U.S. mentioned that this was their first experience with tactical learning in the lower grades of elementary school, and they were surprised that it could be implemented in the lower grades with game modification. In addition, various suggestions were made on how to ask better questions that would lead to better understanding of tactics, and the commentator explained how to make questions based on lesson observations.

At the July workshop, Mr. Kikuchi, a teacher at Setagaya Junior High School attached to Tokyo Gakugei University, proposed a striking/fielding game for first graders. The discussion at this workshop centered on how to conduct warm-ups and group composition. Regarding the warm-up, there were various opinions that the preparatory exercise done mainly by students was static stretching, and that dynamic stretching would be better, or that teachers should intervene intentionally, or that physical activity should be done in small-sided games from the preparatory exercise. I felt that the cultural characteristics of the country were strongly expressed here. In response to these discussions, the participants eventually found a direction to use small-sided games for preparatory exercises.

In the proposed class, the students were divided into four teams, and the leaders of these teams were all boys. This was not specifically decided by the teacher, but as a result of the team's decision, but some of the participants pointed out that there were problems with physical education instruction that led to such a situation. They also pointed out that there were differences in the way the students interacted with each other during the activities between boys and girls. Just the fact that junior high schools are conducting games with both boys and girls learning together, instead of separately, seems to be an innovative lesson in Japan, but I was reminded of the fact that we have created a gender perspective through the way boys and girls interact and contribute to the lesson.

 In addition, this class was taught using a hybrid model of Game-Centered Approaches and sports education models, and various opinions were expressed about how to play the role of the learner. The discussion also touched on moral education in Japan, which led to a rethinking of the concept of responsible learning, which I feel was a valuable discussion.
​
In a questionnaire survey taken after the workshop, 100% of the participants answered that they had gained a lot from both workshops. In addition, 100% of the participants answered that they had the opportunity to participate in the 2nd workshop and 90% in the 3rd workshop. These results and the results of the free comments show that the attempt to collaborate on better physical education classes across countries is worthwhile. There are also many positive comments in the free text. A few participants mentioned the difficulty of verbal communication, and we will continue to take measures to solve this problem by making good use of technology.

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​Figure.4 Commemorative photo (May,2021)
We are planning to hold another Global Lesson study in October or November. Next time, we will propose a lesson on games for elementary school. If you are interested in participating, please contact me “[email protected]”. 

Resources

Global Lesson Study in May
Mr.Fujimoto’s Lesson (Elementary PE):

<Lesson Plan>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/epjfan1wzac7r3s/Lesson%20Plan%20%28Shooting%20Game%29_Mr.Fujimoto.pdf?dl=0
 
<Video Clip of the Lesson >
https://youtu.be/OpzUDggM1jQ


Global Lesson Study in July
Mr.Kikuchi’s Lesson (Junior High PE):
​
<Lesson Plan>

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0joaxbovd1vfcbw/Lesson%20Plan%20%28Mr.Kikuchi%29.pdf?dl=0
 
<Video Clip of the Lesson >
https://youtu.be/j53iTSJnUW0

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Teaching games within preschool physical education programs

1/8/2021

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By Dr Aspasia Dania
Assistant Professor in Physical Education Teaching
​School of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Email: [email protected]
​Twitter: @AspasiaDania
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aspasia_Dania ​


​Quality Physical Education (PE) programs should have a distinct place in young children’s education and development. Preschool age is recognized by educators and researchers as an extremely important period for adopting learning, health and expression habits and behaviors, since children at this age are more receptive to guidance and encouragement from significant others. Free play time and unstructured physical activity are important tools for achieving the above goals, but they are not enough on their own. There is data to support the view infants’ inherent need for movement can effectively be met through their participation in PE programs that offer various opportunities for exploration and interaction with the world around them. Games and game play activities can be an effective medium to this end, especially when they are designed according to developmentally appropriate principles and strategies. Games can provide a safe environment within which young children learn to act, think, interact, share, experiment, perform, understand and emotionally integrate experiences that can be valuable for staying active both within and outside school settings. Thus, the purpose of any PE curriculum designed for children of this age, should be on one hand to facilitate their game participation and learning, and on the other hand to increase their enjoyment and pleasure of interacting with others though purposefully structured content and activities.

Developmentally appropriate games for preschool children should promote learning: (a) within movement (games that help children understand how, when, why and in what way we move), (b) about movement (games that promote those cognitive skills supporting the desired movement effect, such as decision making, response inhibition, selective attention, etc.) and (c) through movement (games that use movement as a means for teaching latent concepts e.g. fair play, responsibility, etc.). However, their effective integration within PE programs will depend on the teacher’s ability to use principles that are specific for this age group. Based on what has been mentioned so far, the principles and protocols outlined below can help PE teachers during the design of games for preschool children.
 
A. Principles for designing games for preschool children
  1. Create game challenges by integrating new concepts and skills with children’s previous experiences
  2. Integrate a variety of experiences within each game (i.e. visual, auditory, kinaesthetic)
  3. Use equipment and/or implements in a non-traditional/conventional way (i.e. in a striking fielding game, a tennis racket can be used as a “fishing stick” and tennis balls as “fish” that should be carried from one base to the other)
  4. Proceed from general skills and concepts to more specific ones (i.e. start with sending small balls to a target and then proceed to sending balls in relation to time/space/effort concepts)
  5. Use fantastic stories/scenarios to introduce youngsters to new content
  6. Use questions and group discussion to facilitate the learning of latent concepts (i.e. use adjectives such as “cold” and “hot” to explain taggers’ move in relation to others in a tag game)
  7. Plan sufficient time for each activity and differentiate instruction according to children’s reaction to game learning activities
  8. Set up challenging game play environments to trigger children’s interest and motivation to participate and stay focused
 
B. Lesson organization protocols for preschool children
  1. Rituals for every part of the lesson
    1. Entering or Leaving to the lesson: Use teacher greeting and parent/guardian farewell rituals (e.g. when entering the PE lesson children can “give five” to the PE teacher, gather in a circle, use equipment to play until the lesson starts, etc.)
    2. During the lesson: Use specific rules of conduct (e.g. “We help our classmates”, “We freeze when we hear the whistle”, “We have big ears when we listen to new instructions”, etc.)
  2. Strategies for conflict management and resolution:
    1. Explain that every child has the right to express their opinion without being interrupted
    2. Use student suggestions to problem solve
    3. Name undesired or dangerous behaviors and clearly explain their implications
  3. Use body language (e.g. one hand up = “everyone near me”, two hands up = “put equipment down and listen to new instructions”)
 
In line with relevant learning theories (Dewey, 1938; Piaget, 1953; Vygotsky, 1978; Bruner, 1986), I advocate for the use of game-based instruction within preschool PE. Since Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) is a beneficial approach for learners of all ages, it would be interesting to launch future TGfU initiatives aiming at providing PE practitioners with curriculum content and material especially designed for this age group.
 

​
References
Bruner, J. S. (1986) Actual minds, possible worlds. Cambridge, M.A, Harvard University Press.
Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and education (New York, Macmillan).
Piaget, J. (1953). The origin of intelligence in the child (London, Routledge and Kegan Paul).
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in society. The development of higher level psychological processes (Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press).
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    TGfU SIG Executive

    This blog has been set up in response to the growing interesting in developing a global community for discussions on game-based approaches in Physical Education and Sport. The following pedagogical approaches have been identified with game-based approaches: Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), Play Practice, Game Sense, Tactical Games approach, Games Concept approach, Tactical Games Model, Tactical Decision Learning model, Ball Schulle and Invasion Games Competence model.


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