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Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of two cooperative learning strategies in physical education on academic learning time in physical education (ALT-PE), the percentage of correct trials, the total number of trials and correct trials, and social behavior. Specifically, two cooperative learning strategies, Performer and Coach Earn Rewards (PACER) and Jigsaw II-PE, respectively, were implemented in two sixth-grade physical education classes. Eight participants (two males and two females in each study) participated. Data for each study were collected for 18 days. An A-B-A-B withdrawal design was used in each study to assess the effects of PACER and Jigsaw II-PE, respectively. Interobserver agreement mean in PACER for trials was 91.4% (90.2–92.9%), ALT-PE was 90.7% (85.0–100%), for social behavior 82.4% (74.7–96.1%), and 98.2% (95.0–100%) for social duration. Interobserver agreement mean in Jigsaw 11-PE for trials was 92.6% (92.0–93.4%), ALT-PE was 93.4% (88.5–100%), for social behavior 90.0% (83.7–100%), and 97.5% (94–100%) for social duration. In each study, treatment integrity of the teacher was 100%. No functional relationship was found between the independent variable and ALT-PE, therefore neither PACER nor Jigsaw II-PE was more time consuming than traditional instruction. Thus time for student learning was not impeded. Functional relationships were demonstrated in both PACER and Jigsaw II-PE for the percentage of correct trials for all participants. PACER and Jigsaw II-PE each showed gender effects, in that low-skilled students performed as well as their average and high skilled counterparts. A functional relationship was found for the total number of trials and correct trials for Jigsaw II-PE, however not for PACER due to overlapping data points. A functional relationship was found for both PACER and Jigsaw II-PE with social duration, but not frequency of social interaction. This investigation provides the first functional assessment of two cooperative learning strategies designed for physical education.
