DISTANCE LEARNING IN DANCE SPORT DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Abstract

This investigation was conducted during the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown period as a cause of closure of schools and higher education institutions. Learning dances, in which physical contact dominates, became extremely demanding and challenging at that time. The basic aim of this study was to analyse some metric characteristics of newly - constructed test for assessing the level of performance of samba and rumba steps learned in distance learning condition. The second aim was to determine differences by gender on the level of acquired skills in both samba and rumba. The sample of subjects consisted of 24 female and 15 male kinesiology students (aged 21-24). Three independent experts evaluated the performance of dances according to criteria described in newly-constructed tests. According to results obtained from the K-S test, the newly-constructed test showed satisfactory characteristics of sensitivity. Satisfactory values of Cronbach's alpha were determined (.95), and the overall variability of experts according to factorial analysis were explained 90%, showing thus good characteristics of objectivity and homogeneity. High correlation (.81) was established between evaluating samba and rumba dances on newly - constructed tests scale from 0 to 10, and evaluating samba and rumba on the Likert scale, commonly used in PE classes, presenting satisfactory validity of tests intended for evaluation of the level of performance of samba and rumba dances in distance learning conditions. According to the results of the T-test, significant differences in gender and performance of dance structures were obtained in the favour of female students. In conclusion, students can properly learn dances using the experimental distance learning method, and their dance skills can be correctly evaluated by the use of the newly-constructed tests.