Personal and Social Responsibility Through Game Play:Utilizing the Teaching Games for Understanding Teaching Model

The Teaching Games for Understanding instructional model (TGfU), which was specifically created for physical education, enables students to explore their understanding of game-like situations and the tactical decisions they will have to make within game play. Thus, this learner-centred approach to games within physical education teaches students not only to understand how to be physical game players, but also how to execute appropriate decisions cognitively. With affective research lacking within the TGfU forum, it is the intention of this research study to directly embed a specific affective instructional model within a game-based TGfU context. Using Hellison's Levels of Personal and Social Responsibility (PSR) within the context of the TGfU instructional model, the purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid instructional model on the development of personal and social responsibility behaviours (Respect, Participation, Self-Direction, and Caring) in grade seven students within an invasion/territory games environment. Three grade seven classes from a large middle public school in lower mainland British Columbia were invited to participate. A total of 58 students, 30 males and 28 females, were taught an 8-lesson invasion/territory games unit through one of three instructional models (hybrid, TGfU or Mr. A's way). Through analysis of student journal entry responses as well as observational field notes and unstructured interviews with the physical education teacher, all three cases provided six meaningful findings: developing personal and social responsibility behaviours, perceived responsibility, all about the game, irresponsibility in action, a positive learning environment, and a learned response. Based on the study's findings, recommendations for future research include studying the longitudinal impact hybrid instructional games teaching could have on our students' lives and studying the impact on effective questioning within our physical education environments.Ph.D