Content area
Full Text
THE USE OF DEMONSTRATION IN TEACHING PHYSICAL EDUCATION
By Auke van Holst The University of Western Ontario
Demonstration is a common educational practice used to clarify knowledge for students. It is most often used in conjunction with verbal explanations, and occasionally with tactile guidance. Demonstration can serve to explain or reinforce psychomotor skills, cognitive concepts and socio - affective behaviours. Physical educators seem to be particularly fond of using demonstrations. Perhaps this is because so many skills in physical education require specific movement patterns which can be communicated effectively through demonstration. The intent of this article is to examine the assets and liabilities of the demonstration process (see Fig. 1) and to discuss some critical features of demonstration. It is not the intention of this article to represent demonstration as the best tool for communication. It is particularly useful in direct and interactive teaching styles but may be quite inappropriate for some exploratory and problem solving teaching approaches. Many of the innovations in sport are the result of creative experimentation which would be inhibited by insisting on strict adherence to specific performance models. Nevertheless, effective use of demonstration can improve teaching and enhance the quality of our QDPE programs.
ROLE OF DEMONSTRATION IN LEARNING DOMAINS
Demonstration can enhance learning in all learning domains. It can serve to teach or reinforce psychomotor skills by allowing the teacher (or other demonstrators) to provide an observable model for a complete motor skill (e.g. the tennis serve), or specific performance criteria within a skill (e.g. the toss in a tennis serve). Close emulation of the demonstration is important in some skills. This is not to imply that individual differences do not, or ought not, to exist. Factors such as body type, strength, fitness and motor ability all determine the particular manner in which the skill is performed. However, for many skills, there are certain basic mechanical principals to which one must adhere for purposes of effectiveness, efficiency and safety. For instance, a one hand overhand throw requires an appropriate follow - through if the force of the throw is to be dissipated in the large trunk muscles rather than the more easily injured elbow or shoulder.
Many cognitive aspects of physical education, such as movement principles, can be taught...