ABSTRACT

Purpose: It has been acknowledged in physical education (PE) that knowledge empowers learners to develop a physically active lifestyle In this study, we consider Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) as a valuable extension of the constructivist learning theory to help articulate the role of three pivotal instructional factors, content knowledge, learners, and instructional process, in learning fitness knowledge in PE. Guided by CLT, this study was intended to identify middle school students’ cognitive architecture about aerobic and anaerobic concepts and pedagogical factors that might enhance or limit scientific conceptualization.

Methods: We employed a mixed-methods approach. A total of 291 students randomly drawn from the 24 schools provided data on conceptual knowledge levels via standardized test and conceptual structures of understanding via semi-structured interviews about the aerobic/anaerobic concepts.

Results: Results from integrated quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal the role of task element interactivity as a function of conceptualization in the students’ cognitive architecture. The students lack the understanding that aerobic and anaerobic concepts are associated with the concepts of complex metabolic systems that dictate the energy pathways experienced in physical activity. Their understandings are characterized by a tendency of overly simplifying the complex conceptions for convenient schema activation. The simplified conception is likely to prohibit their understanding from becoming consistent with the science. The findings suggest that teachers should anticipate lack of understanding of knowledge connectivity when teaching fitness concepts and establish the task element interactivity with enhanced clarity to facilitate knowledge learning.

Conclusion: Consistent with the constructivist learning theory, the findings inform us that teaching complex fitness concepts require the teacher to connect prior knowledge as a prerequisite to activate relevant cognitive architecture and actively build connections between the prior knowledge and the to-be learned concepts. PE curriculum designers and teachers should anticipate the complex challenges in teaching the aerobic and anaerobic concepts because of their connections to other concepts associated with human energy systems such as intensity and oxygen supply.

摘要

目的：在体育教育 (PE) 中已经承认，知识使学习者能够养成积极的生活方式。在这项研究中，我们认为认知负荷理论 (CLT) 是建构主义学习理论的一个有价值的延伸，以帮助阐明三个方面的作用体育健身知识学习的关键教学因素、内容知识、学习者和教学过程。在 CLT 的指导下，本研究旨在确定中学生关于有氧和无氧概念的认知结构以及可能增强或限制科学概念化的教学因素。

方法：我们采用混合方法。从 24 所学校随机抽取的 291 名学生通过标准化测试提供了概念知识水平的数据，并通过关于有氧/无氧概念的半结构化访谈提供了概念理解结构的数据。

结果：综合定量和定性分析的结果揭示了任务元素交互性作为学生认知架构中概念化功能的作用。学生们不了解有氧和无氧概念与复杂代谢系统的概念相关，这些系统决定了身体活动中经历的能量通路。他们的理解的特点是倾向于过度简化复杂的概念以方便图式激活。简化的概念可能会阻止他们的理解与科学保持一致。

结论：与建构主义学习理论一致，研究结果告诉我们，教授复杂的健身概念需要教师将先验知识作为激活相关认知架构的先决条件，并积极在先验知识和要学习的概念之间建立联系。体育课程设计者和教师应该预见到教授有氧和无氧概念的复杂挑战，因为它们与与人类能量系统相关的其他概念（例如强度和氧气供应）相关联。