Author(s): ROHLEDER, J., EISENBACHER, F., MUENZ, J., VOGT, T., Institution: GERMAN SPORT UNIVERSITY COLOGNE, Country: GERMANY, Abstract-ID: 2130

INTRODUCTION: Several studies indicate that Physical Education (PE) teachers often avoid teaching gymnastics due to safety concerns and perceived deficits in content knowledge and instructional competence [1]. Consequently, university-based teacher education is challenged to develop instructional formats that explicitly address these barriers. Blended learning approaches, such as learning platform-based flipped classrooms, are suggested to hold particular potential for activating and practice-oriented teaching [2]. Thus, the present study examined whether student teachers evaluate the flipped classroom positively within a practical university gymnastics course. It was hypothesized that the flipped classroom would be perceived as superior to a traditional instructional format regarding self-perceived competence in teaching gymnastics.
METHODS: Using a quasi-experimental design, students from six course groups of a university basic gymnastics course (age: 21.0±2.1 years, female: n=32, male: n=64) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; n=45) or a control group (CG; n=49). IG was taught using a learning platform-based flipped classroom, whereas CG followed a traditional format without media-supported asynchronous self-study. Based on prior semi-structured interviews with PE teachers (n = 6), relevant module descriptions, and institutional quality standards, a questionnaire was developed and administered to both groups at the end of the semester. The instrument comprised 57 items rated on a four-point scale. Item-specific medians were compared between groups. Additionally, group differences were examined using Mann-Whitney-U tests with Benjamini-Hochberg correction (alpha=5%), and effect sizes (r) were reported.
RESULTS: For 25 of the 57 items, IG showed higher median values than CG, while no item favored CG. Significant group differences were found for 15 items in favor of IG (all: p<.05; r≥.27).
DISCUSSION: Although item-specific interpretation is needed, the findings support the hypothesis that the flipped classroom offers advantages over traditional instructional formats in student evaluations. These were particularly evident for reflective, practice-oriented preparatory tasks addressing knowledge acquisition (e.g., usage of different types of mats), but less evident for instructional competence (e.g., recognizing students’ gymnastics-specific strengths and weaknesses). Overall, the findings suggest that benefits of flipped classrooms for activating teaching can be transferred to university-based gymnastics teacher education to promote sensitization to professional practice. Future research should examine whether flipped classrooms contribute not only to knowledge acquisition but also to instructional competence, and extend beyond student perceptions to assess actual learning outcomes.
REFERENCES:
[1] Robinson et al. (2020). DOI: 10.1080/25742981.2020.1715232
[2] O’Flaherty, J. & Phillips, C. (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2015.02.002