Additional Exergames to Regular Tennis Training Improves Cognitive-Motor Functions of Children but May Temporarily Affect Tennis Technique: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study evaluated the effects of an exergame program (TennisVirtua-4, Playstation Kinect) combined with traditional tennis training on autonomic regulation, tennis technique, gross motor skills, clinical reaction time, and cognitive inhibitory control in children. Sixty-three children were randomized into four groups (1st - two exergame and two regular trainings sessions/week, 2nd - one exergame and one regular training sessions/week, 3rd - two regular trainings sessions/week, and 4th - one regular training session/week) and compared at baseline, 6-month immediately post intervention and at 1-year follow-up post intervention. At 6-month post intervention the combined exergame and regular training sessions revealed: higher breathing frequency, heart rate (all ps ≤ 0.001) and lower skin conductance levels (p = 0.001) during exergaming; additional benefits in the point of contact and kinetic chain elements of the tennis forehand and backhand technique (all ps ≤ 0.001); negative impact on the shot preparation and the follow-through elements (all ps ≤ 0.017); higher ball skills (as part of the gross motor skills) (p < 0.001); higher percentages of clinical reaction time improvement (1st -9.7% vs 3rd group -7.4% and 2nd -6.6% vs 4th group -4.4%, all ps ≤ 0.003) and cognitive inhibitory control improvement in both congruent (1st -20.5% vs 3rd group -18.4% and 2nd -11.5% vs 4th group -9.6%, all ps ≤ 0.05) and incongruent (1st group -19.1% vs 3rd group -12.5% and 2nd group -11.4% vs 4th group -6.5%, all ps ≤ 0.001) trials. The 1-year follow-up test showed no differences in the tennis technique, clinical reaction time and cognitive inhibitory control improvement between groups with the same number of trainings per week. The findings support exergaming as an additional training tool, aimed to improve important cognitive-motor tennis skills by adding dynamics to the standardized training process. Caution should be placed to planning this training, e.g., in a mesocycle, since exergaming might decrease the improvement of specific tennis technique parts of the trainees. (ClinicalTrials.gov; ID: NCT03946436).

Effective teaching in physical education: Slovenian perspective.

Regular quality physical education (PE) contributes to the harmonized biopsychosocial development of a young person--to relaxation, neutralization of negative effects of sedentary hours, and other unhealthy habits/behaviors. The evaluation approach to PE effectiveness provides important information to PE teachers and also to students. However, evaluating effectiveness of teaching, especially the effectiveness of teaching PE, is a difficult task, because PE is a constant process of enriching knowledge and developing skills, as well as having a possible impact on students' health and mental well-being. Many attempts to evaluate PE teachers' effectiveness exist in Slovenia, but currently, none are being implemented in the national PE curricula. As part of recent discussion on PE teaching effectiveness (McKenzie & Lounsbery, 2013; Rink, 2013; Ward, 2013), we share our views from a Slovenian perspective.