Collaboration and social interaction in Physical Education classes: Experience with the use of exergames

Abstract

Gaming is already a widespread activity in the world nowadays. With the novelty of Exergames, an alternative form of entertainment and exercise, new educational resources emerged especially for Physical Education classes. Within this perspective, in this study we present an experiment with the use of exergames in Physical Education classes in which we observed how organized practices with small groups of students can generate collaboration and companionship. The study considered mainly students who were not keen in taking part of the regular Physical Education classes, children and adolescents from eight to fourteen years old. Our research methodology followed a non-participant and participant observation approach. Students were observed for a period of five months in an Exergames Lab at the Brazilian-Israeli School located in Porto Alegre, Brazil. A total of 24 students, of both genders, participated in the experiment. Results showed that students were collaborative and helpful in the group work as well as more confident to practice sports and other physical activities with the exergames in small groups.