Vitality in Movement: Rethinking Physical Education from a Pedagogical to a Physiological Dimension

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 3582

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Viale Ellittico, 31, 81100 Caserta, CE, Italy
Interests: physical activity; special pedagogy; inclusion; sports education; innovative teaching

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the new millennium, society is undergoing a profound process of change and transformation that actively calls for new forms of education able to focus on the needs and characteristics of each individual. Against this background, motor and sport activities can privilege educational strategies that favour learning, didactic experience and developmental opportunities, all rooted in transversal competences. The educational perspective clearly serves to enhance autonomy, increase self-esteem, and nurture a capacity for personal initiative and self-awareness.

Individual growth from a physiological point of view must not be underestimated either, and the contribution of motor and sport activities plays a significant role. The evaluation of the organic and functional qualities of each subject, student, amateur or athlete, together with the measurement of the physiological responses of the human organism to the physical exercise performed, are of paramount importance. Formal and non-formal education systems, such as sport, must take this into account in order to foster the sustainable development of society.

Therefore, it is necessary to engage in critical reflection and a conscious choice of values which, stemming from theoretical and practical contributions elaborated in the fields of pedagogy and physiology, foster innovation on both an organisational level and on the level of methods and methodologies. Furthermore, difference and diversity must furthermore characterize the social and cultural context in which such change takes place.

The aim of this Special Issue is, therefore, to bring together contributions that are able to provide a critical framework in the field of motor and sport sciences, for different epistemological and methodological perspectives, with regard to both the pedagogical and physiological dimensions. The end objective is to propose strategies and solutions capable of satisfying these educational and performance requirements, along with the need for positive psychological and physical progress.

We will therefore be happy to receive scientific contributions that address, for example, the following topics:

  • New teaching strategies in motor and sports sciences;
  • Physical activity as a tool to promote inclusion;
  • Sports pedagogy;
  • Schooling and sports;
  • New technologies for physical education;
  • Sports physiology;
  • Physiological assessment of young people;
  • Elements of physiology for the development of athletes. 

Dr. Davide Di Palma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • special pedagogy
  • inclusion
  • sports education
  • physiology
  • innovative teaching
  • sports medicine
  • physiological evaluation
  • sports physiology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 969 KiB  
Article
Children and Pre-Adolescents’ Moral Disengagement and Cooperation in the Context of Deprived Neighborhoods: An Action Research Project
by Roberto Marcone, Deborah Brancaccio, Vincenza Borghese, Lucia Ariemma and Giuseppe Ritella
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111247 - 14 Nov 2024
Viewed by 567
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine family-level and community-level factors contributing to children and pre-adolescents’ moral disengagement and cooperation in the context of deprived neighborhoods. A set of validated measures has been administered to 374 participants, who were involved in an [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to examine family-level and community-level factors contributing to children and pre-adolescents’ moral disengagement and cooperation in the context of deprived neighborhoods. A set of validated measures has been administered to 374 participants, who were involved in an action research project aimed at reducing cultural disadvantage in a deprived Italian neighborhood. The analysis was conducted through descriptive and correlational analyses. In addition, a model was tested through a path analysis. The findings are consistent with the hypothesized model and allow us to discuss the role of parental rejection, age and socioeconomic status in the examined developmental processes. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 928 KiB  
Article
Physical Education Teacher’s Continuing Professional Development Affects the Physiological and Cognitive Well-Being of School-Age Children
by Francesca Latino, Generoso Romano and Francesco Tafuri
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111199 - 31 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1053
Abstract
A burgeoning corpus of scholarly inquiry indicates that engagement in physical activity among children yields a plethora of advantageous outcomes, including enhanced cardiorespiratory endurance, improved academic performance, augmented cognitive functioning, as well as advancements in social and psychological well-being. Given that students participate [...] Read more.
A burgeoning corpus of scholarly inquiry indicates that engagement in physical activity among children yields a plethora of advantageous outcomes, including enhanced cardiorespiratory endurance, improved academic performance, augmented cognitive functioning, as well as advancements in social and psychological well-being. Given that students participate in schooling for up to 200 days per annum, physical education (PE) possesses the potential to substantially influence the physiological and cognitive maturation of school-aged children through purposeful pedagogical practices. The notion of quality physical education (QPE), whose paramount objective is the cultivation of physical literacy, represents a critical element in the facilitation of both physiological and cognitive growth in children. Consequently, the objective of this investigation was to examine the ramifications of a continuing professional development program on educators’ self-efficacy and, in turn, on their students’ physical fitness and educational outcomes. The inquiry was conducted over a 32-week span during which teachers and students participated in a continuing professional development training (CPD) intervention and a physical literacy (PL) program, respectively. At both the initiation and conclusion of the intervention programs, a comprehensive series of standardized assessments were administered, including the Motorfit battery, Spirometry, Physical Education Teaching Efficacy Scale (PETES), and Amos 8–15. As a consequence, a significant Time × Group interaction effect for the Motorfit battery, Spirometry, PETES, and Amos 8–15 was identified. This finding suggests a meaningful improvement in the treatment groups (p < 0.001). Conversely, no notable alterations were recorded within the comparison groups. The outcomes of this research reinforce the assertion that exemplary instruction in physical education exerts a profound influence on the physiological well-being and academic achievements of students. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 950 KiB  
Article
Effects of Pilates Training on Physical, Physiological and Psychological Performance in Young/Adolescent Volleyball Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Francesco Tafuri, Francesca Latino and Filomena Mazzeo
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 934; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14090934 - 26 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1611
Abstract
Young athletes are constantly developing, and their performance reflects this ongoing process. By understanding performance variations and implementing appropriate training strategies, coaches and stakeholders can help young athletes develop their skills and athletic potential, as well as psychological well-being. Volleyball skills, such as [...] Read more.
Young athletes are constantly developing, and their performance reflects this ongoing process. By understanding performance variations and implementing appropriate training strategies, coaches and stakeholders can help young athletes develop their skills and athletic potential, as well as psychological well-being. Volleyball skills, such as explosive strength and serving precision, play a crucial role in determining the outcomes of volleyball matches. In contrast, mental well-being contributes to enhancing psychological performance. This prospective, randomized, parallel-group trial investigates the effectiveness of Pilates for young volleyball players. We investigated whether Pilates improves certain individual volleyball skills (explosive strength and serving precision) and certain psychological aspects (state of mindfulness) in young, male, 12–14-year-old athletes. Participation in this 12-week study involved 40 athletes (PG = 20; CG = 20). The Control Group had regular training and the Pilates Group had regular training plus twenty-four additional Pilates sessions. The Pilates Group showed a significant improvement in the variables under investigation by 4–7% (p < 0.001). Pilates training can improve individual volleyball skills in young male athletes and may also benefit overall psychophysical development. This study suggests that incorporating Pilates into training programs for young volleyball players can be beneficial for individual skill development and potentially overall psychophysical well-being, assuming an important role in the educational development of the young. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop