Bridging extracurricular sports activities to formal education: Cognitive flexibility and sport

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive flexibilities of sports high school students based on status of participation in extra-curricular physical activity and reveal the relationship between cognitive flexibility and academic success in the same group. The sample of the study consisted of 449 sports high school students including 142 (31.6%) female and 307 (68.4%) male students. As the data collection instrument in the study, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) was used. The data were analyzed by t-test and Pearson’s correlation test. In the study, it was determined that the mean cognitive flexibility score of the students who took part in extra-curricular physical activity was higher than those who did not (p < .01). Additionally, there was a weak, positive and significant relationship between the cognitive flexibility levels of the students who took part in physical activity and their grade point averages (p < .05.), whereas there was a weak and positive relationship between the cognitive flexibility levels of the students who did not take part in physical activity and their grade point averages, but this relationship was not statistically significant (p > .05).

Keywords

• Cognitive flexibility
• academic success
• high school
• sports high school
• student athlete

Okul dışı spor aktivitelerinin örgün eğitime bağlanması: Bilişsel esneklik ve spor

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul dışı fiziksel aktiviteye katılım durumuna göre spor lisesi öğrencilerinin bilişsel esnekliklerini incelemek ve aynı grupta bilişsel esneklik ile akademik başarı arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymaktır. Çalışmanın örneklem grubunu 142’si (%31.6) kadın ve 307’si (%68.4) erkek 449 spor lisesi öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak Bilişsel Esneklik Ölçeği (BEÖ) kullanılmıştır. Veriler T-Testi ve Pearson Korelasyon Testi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında okul dışı fiziksel aktiviteye katılan öğrencilerin bilişsel esneklik puan ortalamalarının fiziksel aktiviteye katılmayan öğrencilerin puan ortalamalarına göre yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir (p < .01). Ayrıca fiziksel aktiviteye katılan öğrencilerin bilişsel esneklikleri ile genel not ortalamaları arasında düşük düzeyde, pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu (p < .05.), fiziksel aktiviteye katılmayan öğrencilerin bilişsel esneklikleri ile genel not ortalamaları arasında ise düşük düzeyde, pozitif bir ilişki olduğu, ancak aralarındaki ilişkinin istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı olmadığı belirlenmiştir (p > .05).

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bilişsel esneklik
• akademik başarı
• lise
• spor lisesi
• sporcu öğrenci

Kaynakça

1. Açıkada, C. (1992). Beden eğitimi ve spor öğretmeni yetiştirmede müfredat programı sorunları. Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 3(4), 3–13.
2. Alahmed, M., Yusof, A., & Shah, P. (2016). Attitude, sports participation and academic performance of undergraduate student-athletes in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 16(3), 1000–1004. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2016.03157
3. Aracı, H. (2007). Yapılandırmacı yaklaşımla beden eğitimi ve spor etkinlikleri. Ankara: Nobel Yayın.
4. Bae, S., & Masaki, H. (2019). Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Cognitive Flexibility Required During Task-Switching Paradigm. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2019.00260
5. Bidzan-Bluma, I., & Lipowska, M. (2018). Physical activity and cognitive functioning of children: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040800
6. Booth, M. L., Okely, A. D., Chey, T., & Bauman, A. (2001). The reliability and validity of the physical activity questions in the WHO health behaviour in schoolchildren (HBSC) survey: A population study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 35(4), 263–267. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.35.4.263
7. Çelikkaleli, Ö. (2014). The validity and reliability of the cognitive flexibility scale. Education and Science, 39(176), 339–346. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2014.3466
8. Chanfreau, B. J., Tanner, E., Callanan, M., Laing, K., Skipp, A., & Todd, L. (2016). Out of school activities during primary school and KS2 attainment. London. Retrieved from https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/CLS WP 2016 (1) - Out of school activities during primary school and KS2 attainment.pdf

9. Coe, D. P., Pivarnik, J. M., Womack, C. J., Reeves, M. J., & Malina, R. M. (2006). Effect of physical education and activity levels on academic achievement in children. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(8), 1515–1519. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000227537.13175.1b
10. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th ed.). London and New York: Routledge Falmer, Taylor & Francis Group.
11. Dalziell, A., Boyle, J., & Mutrie, N. (2015). Better movers and thinkers (BMT): An exploratory study of an innovative approach to physical education. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 11(4), 722–741. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i4.950
12. Demirhan, G., İnce, M. L., Koca, C., & Kirazcı, S. (Eds.). (2010). Öğretim modelleri ve güncel araştırmalar. Ankara: Spor Yayınevi ve Kitabevi.
13. Donnelly, J. E., & Lambourne, K. (2011). Classroom-based physical activity, cognition, and academic achievement. Preventive Medicine, 52(SUPPL.), S36–S42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.01.021
14. Dupuy, O., Billaut, F., Raymond, F., Benraiss, A., Theurot, D., Bosquet, L., … Tremblay, J. (2018). Effect of Acute Intermittent Exercise on Cognitive Flexibility: the Role of Exercise Intensity. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, 2, 146–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-018-0078-z
15. Edens, K. M. (2000). Preparing Problem Solvers for the 21st Century through Problem-Based Learning. College Teaching, 48(2), 55–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/87567550009595813
16. Ekiz, D. (2009). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri (2nd ed.). Ankara: Anı Yayıncılık.
17. Entezari, M., Dehkordi, P. S., & Sahaf, R. (2018). Effect of physical activity on cognitive flexibility and perfectionism in the elderly. Iranian Journal of Ageing, 12(4), 402–413. https://doi.org/10.21859/SIJA.12.4.402
18. Erdemli, A. (2006). Temel sorunlarıyla spor felsefesi (2nd ed.). İstanbul: E yayınları.
19. Erkuş, A. (2009). Davranış bilimleri için bilimsel araştırma süreci (2nd ed.). Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık.
20. Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2008). How to design and evaluate research in education (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
21. Howie, E. K., & Pate, R. R. (2012). Physical activity and academic achievement in children: A historical perspective. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 1(3), 160–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2012.09.003
22. İnce, M. L., & Hünük, D. (2010). Experienced physical education teachers’ use and perceptions of teaching styles during the educational reform period. Education and Science, 35(157), 128–139.
23. İnce, M. L., & Ok, A. (2005). Moving prospective physical education teachers to learner centered teaching: can it be stimulated in a traditional context? Journal of International Council for Health, Physical Education, Sport and Dance, XLI(1), 6–12.
24. Ji, L. Y., Li, X. L., Liu, Y., Sun, X. W., Wang, H. F., Chen, L., & Gao, L. (2017). Time-dependent effects of acute exercise on university students’ cognitive performance in temperate and cold environments. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01192
25. Krynock, K., & Robb, L. (1999). Problem Solved: How To Coach Cognition. Educational Leadership, 57(3), 29–32.
26. Lipscomb, S. (2007). Secondary school extracurricular involvement and academic achievement: a fixed effects approach. Economics of Education Review, 26(4), 463–472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2006.02.006
27. Martin, M. M., & Rubin, R. B. (1995). A new measure of cognitive flexibility. Psychological Reports, 76(2), 623–626. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1995.76.2.623
28. Mazzoccante, R. P., Corrêa, H. D. L., Queiroz, J. L., Sousa, B. R. C., Sousa, I. R. C., Santos, M. A. B., … Melo, G. F. (2019). The relationship of sports practice with motor performance , selective attention , cognitive flexibility and processing speed in children aged 7 to 10 years. Journal of Human Growth and Development, 29(3), 365–372.
29. Moran, A. (2009). Cognitive psychology in sport: Progress and prospects. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(4), 420–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2009.02.010
30. Moran, A. P. (1996). Cognition, psychology and sport: Mental factors in athletic performance. In The Psychology of Concentration in Sport Performers A Cognitive Analysis (First). London: Routledge Falmer, Taylor & Francis Group.
31. Nanda, B., Balde, J., & Manjunatha, S. (2013). The acute effects of a single bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on cognitive functions in healthy adult males. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 7(9), 1883–1885. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/5855.3341
32. Netz, Y., Tomer, R., Axelrad, S., Argov, E., & Inbar, O. (2007). The effect of a single aerobic training session on cognitive flexibility in late middle-aged adults. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28, 82–87. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2006-924027
33. Salant, P., & Dillman, D. A. (1994). How to conduct your own survey. New York: Wiley.
34. Scopus. (2019). [Analyze search results of “cognitive flexibility”]. Elsevier.
35. Sigfúsdóttir, I. D., Kristjánsson, Á. L., & Allegrante, J. P. (2007). Health behaviour and academic achievement in Icelandic school children. Health Education Research, 22(1), 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyl044
36. Spiro, R. J., & Jehng, J.-C. (1990). Cognitive flexibility and hypertext: Theory and technology for the nonlinear and multidimensional traversal of complex subject matter. In D. Nix & R. Spiro (Eds.), Cognition, education, and multimedia: Exploring ideas in high technology (p. 169). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
37. Stearns, E., & Glennie, E. J. (2010). Opportunities to participate: Extracurricular activities’ distribution across and academic correlates in high schools. Social Science Research, 39(2), 296–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2009.08.001
38. T.C. MEB Strateji Geliştirme Başkanlığı. (2019). Milli Eğitim İstatistikleri. Örgün Eğitim 2018/’19. Ankara.
39. Wassenaar, T. M., Wheatley, C. M., Beale, N., Salvan, P., Meaney, A., Possee, J. B., … Johansen-Berg, H. (2019). Effects of a programme of vigorous physical activity during secondary school physical education on academic performance, fitness, cognition, mental health and the brain of adolescents (Fit to Study): Study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial. Trials, 20(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-019-3279-6
40. Web of Science. (2019). [Results analysis of “cognitive flexibility”]. Clarivate Analytics.