Investigation into the role of digital tool as support for competency and skill development in higher education swimming lessons

Abstract

Supporting learners in complex skill acquisition is a demanding process that requires substantial knowledge of the scientific principles and the individual, environmental, and task constraints defining each learner’s optimal movement execution. Future applied practitioners (sport scientists, coaches, physical education teachers, etc.) have to develop this knowledge and skills throughout their studies. However, research shows that due to limited lesson time in tertiary education, many students may not acquire good proficiency in some of these competencies (Lounsbery & Coker, 2008). Digital tools have therefore been identified as a promising way to support students’ learning outside the lesson time. Insights into their effectiveness in ecologically valid settings provide information about their efficiency and potential directions for their improvement. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the utilization and effectiveness of a digital tool as support to enhance students’ swimming performance (time and technique) and competency development (content knowledge, self-assessment of technique).

In a pre-post observational study, 26 sport science students were assessed on swimming performance (time and technique), self-assessment accuracy and content knowledge at the beginning and the end of the semester. Students had unrestricted access to the digital tool during the course, and its utilization was monitored through learning analytics. No control group was included due to course-structure constraints.

Dependent t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed statistically significant improvements in students’ swimming time (t(24) = 5.91, p < .001), technique (t(25)= -7.25, p < .001), self-assessment of technique (t(25) = -10.09, p < .001) and theoretical knowledge (V = 118, p = .009), all with moderate effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.57-0.58; r = .42). However, none of these improvements were correlated with the frequency of digital tool use. The frequency of digital tool use did, however, significantly correlate with both students’ swimming time on the first (τ = 0.33, p = .020) and the last lesson (τ = 0.39, p = .005), suggesting that students with lower swimming performance tended to use the digital tool more often. Students’ self-assessment of technique did significantly correlate with their swimming time, both at the first lesson (t(23) = -4.9, p < .001) and last lesson (t(23)= -2.83, p = .009), as well as with expert’s assessment of their technique on the first lesson (t(24) = 2.81, p = .010) and last lesson (t(23) = 3.14, p = .004).

While we can confirm significant progress in students’ swimming performance, technique, theoretical knowledge and self-assessment of technique, our findings couldn’t establish a link between the utilization of the digital tool and students’ improvements. Apart from students making significant progress in their self-assessment of technique, we additionally identified good accuracy in self-assessment on their first lesson, highlighting good starting proficiency in this important competency. Overall implications of this research, while presenting realistic insight into ecologically valid settings, are somehow limited due to small sample size and lack of a control group.

References

Lounsbery, M., & Coker, C. (2008). Developing Skill-Analysis Competency in Physical Education Teachers. Quest, 60(2), 255–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2008.10483580