Movement is considered one of the basic human needs. It is therefore important to instil movement as a value in children as they are growing up. More and more children are not physically active enough and do not meet the standards recommended by the World Health Organisation – 60 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week, or every day. As children spend much of their day in school, it is important that they get enough exercise there as well. Movement didactic games enable students to learn new subject matter and encourage them to be physically active.
The aim of this master’s thesis was to determine whether learning by incorporating physical activities into the subject of home economics improves knowledge, motivation and well-being, and what are the pupils’ opinions about movement games in the subject.
The results of a pedagogical experiment, in which 61 sixth grade students participated, did not show statistically significant differences in knowledge between the experimental group (group which used didactic movement games for learning) and the control group (traditional lessons). They did, however, show that movement games increase motivation and improve the well-being of students during the lesson. Furthermore, the students’ opinions of the inclusion of movement games in the classroom are largely positive. They stated they find physical activities relaxing and energising, they feel more motivated to work and there are fewer disciplinary problems. The same conclusions were found through observing the class dynamics during the pedagogical experiment.
For a healthy lifestyle of an individual, it is not enough just to master theoretical knowledge but also to transfer this knowledge into everyday life. In addition to diet, movement is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. By thoughtfully incorporating movement didactic games, a household economics teacher can unobtrusively enable more movement in the classroom, and at the same time teach students new subject matter in a relaxed environment, in which students feel comfortable and motivated to learn.
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