Sviluppo motorio, funzioni esecutive e fattori psicologici correlati in età evolutiva. Effetti della variabilità della pratica e degli stili d’insegnamento per l’apprendimento delle competenze motorie

Background: Promoting health through motor activity is an interinstitutional responsibility, and schools are the ideal setting for implementing educational interventions. It is essential that teachers design interventions geared toward learning motor skills and evaluate the effects of different content and teaching styles on the perception of competence and motor development. The nonlinear teaching approach, through variability of practice and the interaction of teaching styles and strategies, aims to promote diverse student learning methods and transferable motor skills. Objectives: The objectives of this study are: a) to evaluate and compare motor performance and levels of motor activity in relation to intra-group and inter-group differences; b) to evaluate and compare motor development in relation to related psychological factors and executive functions; c) to evaluate the effects of an experimental motor activity teaching intervention on executive functions, academic performance, motor development, and related factors, through the interaction of different teaching styles and variability of practice. Methods: The sample consisted of 120 students attending grades III-IV of the “I.C. Foscolo-Gabelli” primary school in Foggia, aged between 8 and 10 years (MGS: 8.77±0.57; MGC: 9.28±0.46; FGS: 8.93±0.74; FGC: 8.85±0.56). The educational intervention lasted two and a half months (from October 2, 2023 to December 16, 2023) and involved the experimental group (60 children) subjected to 10 EAS (situated learning episodes). Through a variety of exercises, the teacher proposed different motor tasks, mainly using productive teaching styles (non-linear teaching). The following motor protocols have been proposed to assess motor skills: MOBAK 3-4 (Herrmann et al., 2015a; Herrmann et al., 2015b; Herrmann et al., 2017; Colella & Monacis 2019; Colella, 2022); TGMD2 (Ulrich, 2000). Psychological factors related to physical activity practice have been assessed as follows: perceived self-efficacy PSP-C (Colella et al., 2008); Enjoyment in Physical and Sports Activities (PACES) (Carraro et al., 2008); Motor Literacy (PLAYself) (Jefferies et al., 2021). Finally, the following tests have been proposed to assess executive functions: TOL (Sannio Fancello G. et al., 2013); TCR (Edmonston & Thane, 1989). Academic performance was assessed via self-report: SEQ- C (Minter & Pritzker, 2015). Results: Between-group and within-group descriptive analyses highlighted the effectiveness of the teaching intervention. Variations in teaching styles (Mosston & Ashworth, 2008), content, and organizational methods (non-linear teaching) had effects on motor development, executive functions, and related psychological factors. Overall, both males and females in the experimental group showed higher performance and scores on motor protocols and self-reports (significance index p < 0.05). Results showed significant improvements in the components of physical efficiency and executive functions in the GS and GC, as well as in factors related to physical activity (perceived self-efficacy, enjoyment, academic performance). Conclusions: The study contributes to the definition of a teaching model, based on nonlinear teaching, to promote the development of executive functions and coordination and to explain the relationships between levels of physical activity, motor development, and related psychological factors. The results concern the effects of variability in practice and variations in teaching style on executive functions and academic performance.