The implementation of a cognitive teaching approach to games in Hong Kong

The purpose of this study is to provide a more reflective climate for the teaching of games in Hong Kong and if appropriate, to start the process of introducing a different teaching approach. The current climate of games teaching in Hong Kong was evidenced by the review of the P. E. syllabus, the feedback collected from the P. E. lecturers, national governing bodies and P. E. teachers who are in favour of the traditional approach. Interestingly, 47 out of 155 teachers (30.4%) found difficulty with the existing teaching approach. A pilot study and two workshops provided encouraging results to pave the road for the main and second trial teachings. To suit the culture in Hong Kong, the modified cognitive approach was adopted in the main trial teaching and then followed by the cognitive approach (teaching games for understanding) in the second trial teaching. Two groups of 8 experienced and inexperienced P. E. teachers (4 male and 4 female) were invited to teach Basketball and Volleyball to 420 students in two trials of teaching. Two sets of questionnaires were distributed to study the affective aspects of the teachers and students after each approach. A follow-up interview was designed to study teachers' changes one year after the workshop. For the teachers' responses in the Basketball group, significant results indicated that the teachers (t value 3.29 p<0.05) gained more enjoyment with the modified cognitive approach. The results in the follow-up interview indicated that they had different changesin fluencedb y the new approach.F or the students' responses of the Basketball and Volleyball groups, significant result showed that the boys obtained more enjoyment with the modified cognitive approach taught by the male teachers than the girls taught by the female teachers. No significant difference was found in the Basketball group but in the Volleyball group, the students were more enjoyable with the modified cognitive approach taught by the experienced teachers. The findings imply that since both the teachers and students felt comfortable and enjoyed teaching games with the understanding approach, it is an appropriate time to introduce it to Hong Kong.