Abstract:

Background

Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve education is very common today. Several studies have suggested that ICTs improves the motivation in education, yet few studies have analyzed its effectiveness in higher education. One of the most important skills in the specialist teaching of sports is the ability to perceive and analyze competitive situations.

Aims

This study examined the effect of the use of ITCs in the ability of perception and analysis competitive situations by university students of basketball, handball and athletics.

Participants

Fifty-six students from the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport (U.P.M.) belonging to High Performance Sports course formed the sample.

Methods

We carried out an analysis of the evolution of perception and analysis of three groups of students highly educated in sports: athletics (G1, n = 17), handball (G2, n = 21) and basketball (G3, n = 18). All of them learned with a teaching methodology common with frequent and active use of ICTs where classes are taught using media. Students have access to content through a virtual platform and had to do homework and weekly assignments related to new technologies.
The three groups were evaluated at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the course, following the methodological process by a specific audiovisual test for each subject. The tests measured the ability of perception and analysis of the students. It is appropriate to say that the absence of group / s control is an important limitation of the study.

Results

The results confirmed a significant improvement during the course (T1-T2 = -2.27, p <0.01, df = 17, t =- 7.087) in the three groups analyzed. More specifically, students in team sports improved greater than athletics. In handball the greatest differences were observed (T1-T2 = -4.43 ± 1.88, P <0.01, df = 20, t =- 10.76) between the average initial test (3.05 ± 1 , 49) and final test (7.47 ± 1.57). In basketball, the final average (7.05 ± 1.12) was similar to the previous one but the fact that the average initial test (4.77 ± 1.04) was higher means that the differences were lower (T1 -T2 = -2.27 ± 1.36, p <0.01, df = 17, t =- 7.087). While in athletics, the average initial test (4.74 ± 1.71) and final test (6.17 ± 1.95) was lower but the differences were equally significant (T1-T2 = -1.44 ± 0.84, p <0.01, df = 16, t = -11.973).

Conclusions

According to the results it could be argued that the frequent and active use of new technologies has a positive impact on improving the ability to appreciate and analysis of sports.

Keywords:

Perception, ICT, sports situations, sports science, education, athletics, handball, basketball, undergraduates.