The Impact of Tandem Teaching with Coaches and Generalist Teachers on Primary School Students' Perceptions in Physical Education

Abstract

Tandem teaching is a collaborative model involving sports coaches and generalist teachers. This study examines the impact of tandem teaching on primary school students' perceptions of physical education (PE) within the Slovak educational context. The research involved 1957 students from grades 1–4, comparing an experimental group exposed to tandem teaching with a control group taught solely by generalist teachers. Data were collected through an electronic questionnaire, assessing student perceptions of their PE instructors, their attitudes toward PE, desired PE class frequency, and favorite school subjects. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics (percentage analysis) and the Chi-square (X2) independence test for contingency tables using SPSS to assess the significance of relationships between variables. Results revealed that students in the tandem group rated their coaches significantly higher in several instructional aspects compared to the control group's ratings of generalist teachers. However, both groups perceived their instructors as equally supportive and encouraging. Although tandem teaching did not substantially alter students' overall subject preferences, it was associated with a slightly increased preference for PE as their favorite subject. Despite a small effect size, statistically significant differences between the groups suggest that tandem teaching may enhance instructional quality and potentially foster a greater interest in PE among students. Future research should address limitations related to sample size and generalizability while exploring regional variations and comparing different tandem teaching models to further understand its effectiveness in diverse educational settings.

DOI: 10.5671/ca.48.3.4