Date of Award
Summer 2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Physical Education
First Advisor
Ali Brian
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effectiveness of an instructional framework that integrated nonlinear pedagogy (NP) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on the motor performance of students in middle school physical education. Three studies were conducted to examine (1) the broader empirical evidence supporting NP, (2) the feasibility and effects of an NP-UDL intervention in middle school physical education, and (3) how implementation fidelity influenced student outcomes.
The purpose of study 1 was to systematically review and meta-analyze experimental research comparing NP to linear pedagogy on the motor competence (MC) outcomes in youth physical education and sport. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. A random-effects meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant moderate pooled effect size in favor of NP (Hedges’ g = 0.45, 95% CI[0.28, 0.63], p < .001). Heterogeneity was moderate (I² = 48.6%), and there was no evidence of publication bias. Therefore, NP is more effective than linear approaches in promoting MC among youth, supporting further investigation of NP in school physical education in the United States.
The purpose of study 2 was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an NP-UDL intervention using a modified Solomon four-group design. Participants included 424 middle school students (ages 10–12 years), 18.6% of whom had a documented disability. Students were assigned to one of four conditions: expert-led NP-UDL, ecological NP-UDL, a traditional soccer curriculum, or a no-treatment control group. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant time × group interaction for the Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT), F(2, 282) = 18.13, p < .001, η²p = .114. Post hoc tests indicated that both NP-UDL groups outperformed the traditional and control groups at posttest. Similarly, a significant time × group interaction was found for the Kick and Receive test, F(2, 280) = 9.41, p < .001, η²p = .063. Again, both NP-UDL groups improved significantly more than the traditional and control groups. These findings provide support for the feasibility and effectiveness of the NP-UDL intervention in general middle school physical education settings.
The purpose of study 3 was to examine whether teacher implementation fidelity predicted student motor performance outcomes within the NP-UDL intervention. Fidelity was assessed and calculated weekly for each group using 14 criteria important to delivering the NP-UDL intervention. A two-level hierarchical linear model revealed that higher fidelity significantly predicted improvement in LSPT penalty time, F(1, 89) = 4.56, p = .036. Thus, for every 0.10 (10%) increase in fidelity, students demonstrated an estimated 12.06-second reduction in penalty time, B = 120.60, SE = 70.98.
Together, these studies provide emerging empirical support for NP-UDL as a viable pedagogical approach that enhances motor performance outcomes for students with and without disabilities in middle school physical education. These data have the potential to reform pedagogical practices in general physical education and develop future practitioners in physical education teacher education programs.
Rights
© 2025, Michael Ertel
Recommended Citation
Ertel, M.(2025). The Effects of Nonlinear Pedagogy on Student Learning and Performance in Middle School Physical Education. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8548