Pilot study: Mobile Application for quantitative observation and motor learning in hurdle running in physical education

External feedback such as viewing videotape is a beneficial approach for effective motor learning (e.g. Cooper and Rothstein, 1981). To our knowledge, previous studies focused on the external visual feedback tried to enhance... [ view full abstract ]

External feedback such as viewing videotape is a beneficial approach for effective motor learning (e.g. Cooper and Rothstein, 1981). To our knowledge, previous studies focused on the external visual feedback tried to enhance motor skills with only qualitative observation.  The purpose of this study was I) to develop a mobile application for quantitative assessment in hurdle running skill and II) to clarify the effect on the motor learning of high school students in simulated physical education (PE) class.  In experiment I, thirty-one high school students performed a 50-m hurdles.  During the time trial, the hurdle clearance motion at the second hurdle was captured from the right side into running direction.  The hurdle running record was significantly correlated to the horizontal jumping distance and 50-m sprint running record.  We developed an application which can estimate a 50-m hurdle running record from a horizontal jumping distance and a 50-m sprint running record using a linear multiple regression analysis.  In the “TimePrediction” application, the hurdle clearance motion is required to be captured and digitized by students manually using a mobile terminal device.  In experiment II, simulated PE class was conducted for high school students using the TimePrediction application.  Students were instructed to use captured movie and quantified motor skill (horizontal jumping distance and predicted 50-m hurdle running record) during the peer learning.  After the intervention, we assessed the 50-m hurdle running record, hurdle clearance motion at the second hurdle, and questionnaire (Takahashi et al., 1994) by students.  Throughout the simulated class, our pilot study found that the motor learning using the mobile application affected to the student motivation, horizontal jumping distance and 50-m hurdle running record.  Therefore, a quantitative observation using a mobile application can be considered as a useful process in motor learning in PE class.