Effects of educational rhythm-based learning on coordinative motor performance and sports enjoyment of male and female pupils

One of the goals of physical education (PE) is psychomotor competence, which involves, at primary school age, the development of coordinative motor abilities and procedural abilities for solving motor problems. The aim of the present study was to assess (1) whether including discovery learning of rhythmic motor skills in primary school PE promotes coordinative development and enhances enjoyment of physical activity; (2) whether the enjoyment of performing rhythmic activities, which may be gender-biased, influences the effectiveness of rhythm-based PE activities. One hundred and seventy-eight children aged six to seven year old were assigned either to a rhythm-based treatment or to a traditional PE treatment. Pre- and post-intervention measures of coordinative abilities and data on sports enjoyment were collected. The results suggest that: (1) the educational rhythm-based learning has positive effects on both coordinative abilities and enjoyment of physical activity; (2) enjoyment is a critical factor influencing coordination improvement of both male and female children.