Multidisciplinary Approach in Physical Education and Sports: Mathematics Lesson Example

Abstract

In this study, the effects of physical education and sports lessons organized in game form with the understanding of interdisciplinary teaching on some mathematics achievements and attitudes of students towards physical education and mathematics lesson were examined.

The sample of the study consists of 5th grade students at the secondary school of the state school in Izmir. 97 of these students constitute the control group (51 females - 69 males) and 120 of them constitute the study group (44 females - 53 males).

“Physical education lesson attitude scale”, “Mathematics Attitude Scale” and mathematics lesson outcome test were applied to the participants, respectively.

In the study, quasi-experimental model with pretest-posttest control group, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. Firstly, pre-tests were applied to all students (control-study group). After the tests were applied, the research application was carried out during the first lesson hours of physical education and sports lessons for 8 weeks. In accordance with the physical education curriculum, applications were made to the students in the control group in a game form. On the other hand, game forms specially adapted for the mathematics achievements of similar games were applied to the students in the study group. Post-tests were applied to all students (control-study group) at the end of 8 weeks. The data were analyzed by using IBM SPSS Statistic 20 program. There was an improvement in the mathematics achievements of the control group (t = -2.60, p0.011 *) and the study group (t = -6.17, p0.000***). On the other hand, as a result of the effect sizes examined, it was found that the mathematics achievements in the study group (effect size d = 0.66) were higher than the control group (effect size d = 0.24). As a result of our research, it was concluded that physical education lessons and mathematics lessons conducted with a multidisciplinary approach increase students’ mathematics achievements. It is recommended to add the studies carried out with the interdisciplinary teaching model to the education and training programs.