Designing an innovative learning model for fundamental throwing and catching skills using the teaching games for understanding (tgfu) approach in elementary education

Abstract

This research focuses on enhancing elementary school students' fundamental throwing and catching skills through an engaging and effective learning model grounded in the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) approach. Traditional physical education methods often fail to engage students, particularly those with underdeveloped motor skills, resulting in lower participation in physical activities. This study aimed to design and validate a TGFU-based learning model specifically for fifth graders, following Borg and Gall's development process, which includes iterative testing and refinement stages. Instruments used to measure throwing and catching skills included performance assessments and observational checklists. The study involved three stages: initial testing with 20 students, main product testing with 100 students, and effectiveness testing with 36 students. Content validation reached 91%, and media expert validation was 85%, with practicality and student engagement questionnaires scoring 92.5% and 95%, respectively, in small-scale trials, and media interest reaching 96% in large-scale trials. Data normality and homogeneity were confirmed through normality (p > 0.05) and homogeneity tests (p > 0.05), indicating that the data were normally distributed and homogeneous. The paired t-test results (sig. 0.000) demonstrated a significant improvement in students' throwing and catching skills, confirming the effectiveness of the developed learning model. These findings validate the TGFU-based approach as a superior method for engaging students and enhancing their motor skills in physical education.