The butterfly technique is considered particularly challenging to learn in junior high school physical education in Japan, and reduced swimming opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic have further exacerbated this issue. This study aimed to improve students’ technical understanding and skill acquisition by developing and implementing ICT-based instructional materials. Seventy-five third-year junior high school students (Grade 9) participated. Swimming performance was evaluated before and after the instructional unit using video recordings assessed by two trained independent observers. Four items—body posture, kick technique, pull technique, and breathing—were scored on a three-point scale (1–3), yielding a maximum total of 12. The mean total score increased from 6.11 ± 2.67 before the unit to 7.76 ± 2.59 after it, indicating a significant improvement ( t(74) = 11.32, p < .001; mean difference = 1.65; 95% CI [1.36, 1.94]; Cohen’s d (z) = 1.31; also reported as d (av) = 0.63 [Hedges’ g (av) = 0.62] ). Additionally, 58 of 75 students (77.3%) completed a 25-m butterfly swim at the end of the unit. Although the absence of a control group is a limitation, these results suggest that ICT-based instructional materials can contribute to the development of swimming skills. Integrating digital materials with traditional instruction may enhance technical understanding, increase motivation, and facilitate the learning of challenging strokes such as the butterfly. Future research should address performance outcomes as well as assessment domains in physical education related to students’ thinking, decision-making, and expressive abilities.

Authors:
Kazumasa Ozeki, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Japan
Shunsuke Ogura, Wakamizu Junior High School, Japan
Yasuhiro Kawashima, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Kazumasa Ozeki, Professor at Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, specializes in swimming biomechanics and coaching science. His current project focuses on the kinematic analysis of relay start techniques in competitive swimming.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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