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The effect of the training of educators as being capable to use the observation list Movement Assessment Battery for Children Checklist – 2 (Master thesis)

Κοκκινάκης, Μιχαήλ/ Kokkinakis, Michail

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the training of educators, their capability to use the observation list Movement Assessment Battery for Children Checklist-2 (Henderson, Sugden, & Barnett, 2007), and to detect movement learning difficulties in male and female students. Twelve (12) teachers and one Physical Education Teacher who have organic positions in the 1st 12/positioned Elementary School of Grevena, took part. The teachers, who used the observation list MABCC-2, tried to evaluate the moving ability and clumsiness of twenty-four (24) children (n=24), aged six (6) to twelve (12) and of both sexes (12 boys and 12 girls), two from every class (1 boy and 1 girl). The children were selected among 240 students from the school. The selection of the children came about from the researcher who used the method of random stratified sampling. The population was divided into two categories based on the class and the sex of the student. Every teacher and the Physical Education Teacher (n=13) were asked to complete the DCD Knowledge Questionnaire regarding their amount of knowledge related to Developmental Syndrome of Assembly (DCD). Furthermore, a time limit of two weeks was given for the teacher to observe one male and one female student of his/her class, and he/she then filled in the MABCC-2 observation list with the help of the test manual. Afterwards, a training program for the educators was offered by the researcher for movement difficulties of students and the process of filling out the questionnaire and the observation list by the educators was repeated. Two (2) t-tests for dependent samples to one (1) factor and one (1) independent variable, the educational process, were carried out. The first test was to examine the difference between the capability of evaluation with the MABCC-2 observation list before and after and the second test was to investigate the difference in the level of knowledge with the use of the questionnaire before and after the educational process. The capability of evaluation among educators increased significantly statistically with the MABCC-2 observation list after training in relationship with their capability before the intervention of this educational process. The level of knowledge of the educators increased significantly statistically after their training. From the results, we can conclude that training helped the educators to significantly increase their knowledge regarding Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD, the impact on the psychosynthesis (mentality, well-being) of the child and its consequences on his/her daily functions, as well as on using the MABCC-2 observation list more effectively.