An investigation into the impact of traditional Indigenous games (TIG) on primary school students and their teachers.

An investigation into the impact of traditional Indigenous games (TIG) on primary school students and their teachers.

This study investigates the impact of embedding Traditional Indigenous Games (TIG) in the curriculum on primary school students and their teachers. Changes for both groups will be discussed. The literature review examined four specific areas related to teaching TIG to children in schools. These areas were physical activity, Indigenous perspectives, cooperation and self-efficacy. Since TIG are unique to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and are intrinsically linked to their histories and cultures, then playing TIG with children in school should enable
learners to deepen their knowledge of Australian Indigenous peoples, their histories and culture, as recommended by the Australian National Curriculum.

It is also relevant and important for educators to consider developing cooperation and team work amongst peer groups within physical activity sessions, in order to provide opportunities for children to develop positive perceptions of themselves, or positive
self-efficacy. When exploring TIG, besides developing physical skills, the cooperative nature of these Indigenous games became evident. TIG may provide students with an opportunity to experience success in physical activity while encouraging cooperative relationships with their peers, hence contribute to building children’s self-efficacy. TIG could also assist teachers to embed Indigenous perspectives in the curriculum, as well as enable them to promote physical activity and cooperation within their class, contribute positively to children’s self-efficacy,
and ultimately improve the health and well-being of their students. All of these factors together provided the researcher with a firm rationale for the conduct of this study.

The methodology employed for this research was constructed around examining these factors utilising a quasi-experimental between groups mixed methods research design. An intervention program was created which incorporated TIG and provided an effective avenue to examine the impact of playing TIG in schools on both students and their teachers. The program was trialled in five schools within the Fraser Coast
area, Queensland, Australia. An Intervention by Time repeated measures multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) was used to investigate the
quantitative survey data obtained from the students. Paired samples t-tests were used to scrutinise student reflective journals for evidence of change over the intervention period. Descriptive statistics were obtained from the teacher surveys, whilst qualitative data collected from the interviews added depth and insight from the teachers’ perspectives.

The findings from this research demonstrated playing TIG at least three days per week at school increased students’ involvement in, and motivation towards, participating in physical activity. Playing TIG three times a week, enhanced student’s self-efficacy and their ability to work with others whilst engaged in physical activity. Teachers reported TIG assisted them to embed Indigenous perspectives, facilitate regular daily physical activity, and to promote cooperation and teamwork with their students through physical activity. Overall, teachers felt the TIG intervention program had been a worthwhile investment of their time, and all were keen to continue with TIG after the study concluded. All teachers developed
sustainable ways to continue with TIG, and indeed have become advocates of TIG within their wider school community.