The effect of educational content on improving the executive functions of students in physical education course

Document Type : Original Article/Open Access/ Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license

Authors

1 Department of motor behavior Faculty of Sport ,science Alzahra University

2 Malasia Uni

3 Master of Motor behavior, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Teaching outcomes are often closely related to the decisions teachers make while teaching and delivering educational content. Therefore, the aim of the research is to investigate the effect of educational content on improving the executive functions of students in physical education.
Research method: This research was conducted in terms of practical purpose and in a semi-experimental way using a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The statistical population of this research was female students of the first year of secondary school in Al-ashtar city. The sample number of 62 participants with an average age of 14.24 ± 0.76 was selected as available. The data collection tool included the Wisconsin card sorting test and also the Tower of London test. First, a pre-test was taken
, then the experimental group was given the necessary training in 8 sessions games and classroom activities according to the activity and full curriculum and based on the six standards of the National Association of Physical Education and Sports. Then both groups participated in the post-test and the data were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance at a significance level of P<0.05.
Findings: The results of the research revealed that the presentation of educational content in the physical education classroom in the experimental group led to the improvement of executive functions such as planning, organizing, the ability to adapt cognitive strategies to challenges and to maintain cognitive rules, as well as problem solving skills compared to the control group. Therefore, the approach of teaching by the teacher and providing effective content in the classroom had a potential impact on improving the executive functions of students in physical education.
Conclusion: In general, the results of this research show that the use educational content has an effect on improving executive functions such as planning, organizing, the ability to adapt cognitive strategies to challenges, and problem solving for learners. Therefore, it is suggested that teachers make compile lesson objective during physical education So that learners, in addition to achieving the standards of physical education, also achieve the elevation of executive functions that affect aspects of cognitive performance

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