The forward roll is one of the fundamental gymnastic skills that students learn in physical education classes during the elementary school years. Its successful execution is linked to the development of various motor skills and to an appropriate motor learning process. Various factors can influence the quality of performance, including gender, age, and the way classes are organized. In the modern educational process, we also pay special attention to team teaching, which involves collaboration between the classroom teacher and the physical education teacher.
In the empirical part of the master’s thesis, we conducted a quantitative study among students in grades 2 through 5 of Slovenian elementary schools. The students performed a forward roll motor task, and their performance was video-recorded and later assessed based on predetermined descriptive criteria. The study included 2,521 students from 29 Slovenian elementary schools. Using statistical analysis, we examined differences in the quality of forward roll performance based on gender, grade level, and the presence of team teaching, and determined whether the effect of team teaching varies by gender and grade level of the students.
The results showed that girls performed the forward roll statistically significantly better than boys. Statistically significant differences were also found between grade levels, as students in higher grades generally achieved better results than those in lower grades. We did not find any statistically significant differences between students who received team teaching and those who did not. Likewise, we did not find any statistically significant differences in the quality of forward rolls based on the presence of team teaching within the groups of boys and girls. When comparing by grade level, we found statistically significant differences among 2nd and 3rd-grade students, while we did not find any differences based on the presence of team teaching among 4th and 5th-grade students.
The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the quality of forward roll performance among Slovenian elementary school students and of the factors that influence it. They provide an important basis for planning and implementing physical education instruction and for further research into the impact of team teaching on the acquisition of motor skills.
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