Physical education students’ experiences In group work

The purpose of the current study was to investigate physical education students’ experiences working in groups, looking to see how these experiences promote communication and leadership skills. The participants in the study included three different physical education classes in the faculty of Sport, Health and Physical Education at Vancouver Island University. This action research project included a qualitative survey of open-ended questions and Likert scale response statements. The study confirmed that students experienced opportunities to practice leadership in their groups in the following ways: organizing, delegating, and staying on task. Monitoring progress of the group and sharing responsibilities were key in how leadership was shown and needed. Regarding communication, students reported needing effective communication skills to work with others and identified this as a skill as important to the success of the overall group experience. These findings confirm that both communication and leadership are key areas for learning to successfully navigate group work.