THE EFFECT OF USING VISUAL AIDS ON TEACHING
VOLLEYBALL SKILLS TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION
STUDENTS
Mo'een Ahmad Oudat
The Hashemite University
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using visual aids on teaching
volleyball skills to physical education students at the Hashemite University. A sample of 30
physical education and sport science students was assigned to this study. The sample was divided
into two equal groups. The first group was an experimental group and was taught by using the
visual aids. The second group was the control group and was taught by using the traditional
method of teaching (a student has no other role rather than receiving the information that is being
sent by teacher). The results revealed that the use of visual aids significantly (P ≤ .05) enhanced
students' performance in volleyball. The researcher recommended using the visual aids in
teaching fundamental skills in different sports.
Keywords: Visual aids, teaching aids, volleyball skills, physical education, university.
INTRODUCTION
The instructional media is considered one of the most concepts related to teaching
technology since it is not only a helpful means, but also has become a part of the teaching
process to achieve its goals (Alhasan and Altayeb, 2011). The subject of instructional media has
taken an advanced position in the education hierarchy, and it has the interest of education
researchers as well as those who work in the education and teaching fields. The emphasis of
efforts in the last three decades was toward using methods and styles of teaching to increase the
students' academic level and prepare the educational curricula within the available capabilities
(Alkhateeb, Almufty, & Musa, 2011).
The instructional media is defined as a group of devices, tools, and materials that the
instructor uses to enhance the teaching process, decrease its period of time, clarify its meanings,
explain the ideas, and help the students to gain skills needed in their education (Ahmad, 2010).
Although there is a wide range of teaching methods, it is necessary to use new and advanced
teaching methods to keep up with the state-of-the-art appropriate for the curricula and students'
level of academic maturity (Ali, 2007).
The instructional media is divided into three types: visual aids, hearing aids, and a
combination of visual and hearing aids. Examples of aids include cinema, televisions, videos,
projectors, posters, images, pictures, models, figures, and computers (Mahmoud, 1998). Visual
aids were used in the field of teaching sports games such as volleyball, since it was shown that
using visual aids has a significant and effective role in teaching difficult sport skills (Abdul
Hussein, 1994).
Jordan is a developing country that does not have advanced technology compared to
developed countries. In the education sector in Jordan, the old traditional techniques are used in
the majority of institutions. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the effects of using
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International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
visual aids on teaching volleyball skills to physical education students at the Hashemite
University in Jordan.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Teaching makes achievement of knowledge and skills possible through systematic
interaction between teachers and learners. It happens every day and involves teacher, learner,
methodology, and materials interaction (Akerele & Afolabi, 2012).
Teaching aids, as the name implies, must assist the teaching process (Maduna, 2002). They
are essential for enhancing teaching and learning skills in a systematic manner, and keeping the
learned skills in the learners’ minds for a longer period of time. Teaching aids, which are a
broad-range of resources, can be employed to enhance communication effectiveness and
efficiency in the teaching-learning process (Abimbade, 1997). Also, it can be used to support and
motivate the classroom teaching process, cognitive development, and socio-moral development
(Adedapo, Salawu, & Afolabi, 2004).
Ayinde (1999) stated that an intelligent use of teaching aids that include visual aids would
save time and stimulate students’ interest. It increases the retention of knowledge and stimulates
understanding and attitude. It also makes instruction more powerful and immediate.
Visual aids, which are materials that use sight to teach a certain topic or present
information, can take many forms such as Power Point presentations, photographs, movies, video
clips, graphs and live demonstrations. As visual aids help a teacher to teach, they also enhance
students’ understanding and information recall (Murtaza, Mushtaq, Sajid, & Shahzad, 2012).
Some researchers including Dale (1996), Maduna (2002), and Quarcoo-Nelson, Buabeng,
and Osafo (2012) have recommended relying on the usage of visual and auditory sense organs in
the teaching process since 85% of the learned skills are transferred to the brain through these
senses.
For hundreds of years, people have known that they remember what they see and do
(Stalheim-Smith, 1998). An old Chinese proverb states "I hear and I forget. I see and I
remember. I do and I understand". Data given by Stice (1987) supports this proverb. The author
reported that learners remember 10% of what they read, 26% of what they hear, 30% of what
they see, 50% of what they hear and see, 70% of what they say, and 90% of what they say as
they do something.
According to Ouellette (2004), words may easily be forgotten but mental pictures will be
remembered for a longer period of time. For that, it is therefore important to prepare illustrative
materials and short demonstrations, or other visual materials that are effective means to improve
students’ comprehension and information retaining.
In the present time where technology has reached its boom, several studies have been
conducted to explore the effectiveness of visual aids compared to verbal instruction (Akerele &
Afolabi, 2012; Murtaza, Naseer Ud Din, & Khan, 2011; Maduna, 2002; Joshi, 1997; QuarcooNelson, Buabeng, & Osafo, 2012; Fakomogbon, Bada, Omiola, & Adebayo, 2012). These
studies have provided evidence that visual aids increase the effectiveness of classroom teachinglearning process. For example, Joshi (1997) studied the impact of visual aids in teaching English
as a second language to secondary school students. The author concluded that the use of visual
aids in teaching resulted in better achievement of English grammar. Similarly, Quarcoo-Nelson,
Buabeng and, Osafo (2012) found that high school students taught with visual aids instruction
performed better than those taught with the traditional method. Akerele and Afolabi (2012)
International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
23
concluded that when video is used in teaching, it enhances learners’ positive attitude towards the
course. In addition, it affects their performances positively.
Despite the growing body of literature on visual aids in business and education, many
questions remain unanswered. There is a need for more empirical support to the advantages and
effects of visual aids in sport contexts, and how visual aids affect learning skills in different
sports. Little research has been conducted in this area especially in the Arab world and Jordan
being no exception. In one of the few studies to do so, Ay (2011) aimed at exploring the effect
of visual feedback on learning dive skill in volleyball. The findings of this study revealed that
visual feedback enhances student performance of dive skill in volleyball.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Do visual aids have an effect on teaching volleyball skills to physical education students?
(1)
Will students who were taught using visual aid presentations perform better than those who were
taught using traditional lecture method?
(2)
HYPOTHESIS
The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide this study:
H01: There is no significant difference ( ≤ 0.05) between the pre and post mean scores of the
control group (physical education students who were taught through the traditional lecture
method).
H02: There is no significant difference ( ≤ 0.05) between the pre and post mean scores of the
experimental group (physical education students who were taught with visual aid
presentation).
H03: There is no significant difference ( ≤ 0.05) between the mean post-test scores of the
control group and the experimental group.
METHODOLOGY
Sample and Data Collection
The study sample consisted of (30) students in the Faculty of Physical Education and
Sport Sciences at the Hashemite University who were enrolled in a volleyball course. They were
randomly divided into two equal groups (n=15), control and experimental. The control group
was taught by using the traditional teaching method, while experimental group was taught by
using visual aids.
Research Design
This study employed pre-test post-test control group experimental design. The assigned
groups were equivalent in terms of growth indicators, fitness variables and skills that may affect
the research experiment. The pre-measurements for both groups on all tests were taken from
March 18, 2014 to March 20, 2014. Table 1 illustrates the study sample equivalence
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International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
Table 1
Study Sample Equivalence
Control
Experimental Group
Group
*M
**SD
*M
**SD
Variables
Growth Indicator
Age (year)
Height (cm)
Weight (kg)
Fitness Variables
30 meter running
Throwing a 500gramball to the farthest
distance
Standing forward bend
Zigzag Run
Vertical Jump
Volleyball Skills
Receiving
Passing
Serving
F
Sig.
19.21
179.22
72.44
0.21
5.57
3.82
19.45
178.16
75.5
0.38
4.23
4.31
0.24
0.43
1.36
0.814
0.673
0.185
7.23
19.55
0.40
3.12
7.13
18.6
0.38
3.44
0.98
0.88
0.606
0.858
11.25
8.03
15.29
2.88
2.22
2.81
11.25
8.52
15.31
2.81
2.41
2.93
0.88
0.76
0.56
0.386
0.454
0.580
8.97
13.43
14.01
3.88
5.42
3.99
8.66
13.23
13.25
4.98
6.25
3.99
0.52
0.56
0.37
0.607
0.580
0.714
*M: Mean; **SD: Standard Deviation
Instruments
The following tools and equipment were used for this study: restameter, medical scale,
measuring tape, and stopwatch. Also, a battery of tests that included flexibility testing, vertical
jump testing, 30-Meter Dash testing, and Zig Zag testing was used to measure the participants’
fitness variables. Moreover, the technical performance of volleyball skills was assessed through a
form filled by three judges who evaluated each student separately.
Validity and Reliability
Five experts holding doctoral degrees in physical education and sport sciences were
asked to evaluate the tests and tools used in this study and whether or not these tests and tools are
applicable and appropriate. The experts agreed on the validity and appropriateness of the tests to
measure fitness variables and volleyball skills. It has been proved that the tests and tools are
valid and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84).
The Educational Program
The researcher designed and applied an 8-week educational program using different
visual aids (e.g., pictures, posters, slides, video clips, and Power Point presentations). The
program included 16 units (2 units per week). The control group was taught using the traditional
lecture method utilized by most of the members in the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport
International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
25
Sciences at the Hashemite University, while the experimental group was taught using visual aids.
The program was applied according to the aforementioned conditions for 8 weeks from April 2,
2014 to May 29, 2014.
Post-Measurements
After the completion of the experiment, post-measurements were taken for both the
experimental and the control groups on all variables during the first week of June 2014.
Data Analyses
Statistical analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS)
version 18. Means, standard deviations, and t-test were used to test the three hypotheses.
RESULTS
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of visual aids on teaching volleyball
skills to physical education students at the Hashemite University. The three hypotheses were
tested using a paired sample t-test at the 0.05 significance level for data in Tables 2 and 3 and a
two sample t-test for the data in Table 4.
The results presented in Table 2 show that there was no significant difference between
pre-measurement and post-measurement scores of the control group in all volleyball skills
(receiving, passing, and serving).
Data in Table 2 indicate that the mean scores of the pretest in volleyball skills of the
control group were 8.97, 13.43, 14.01 respectively and those of the post-test were 9.23, 15.02,
and 15.87. The difference between the two means was not statistically significant. As a result,
the first null hypothesis H01 was accepted.
Table 2
Differences between the Pre- and Post-measurements in Volleyball Skills for the Control
Group (N=15)
Volleyball
Skills
Receiving
Passing
Serving
Pre-Measurement
Post- Measurement
Mean
8.97
13.43
14.01
Mean
9.23
15.02
15.87
SD
3.88
5.42
3.99
SD
0.21
3.35
3.29
T
Sig.
0.85
0.55
1.35
0.410
0.594
0.198
The results shown in Table 3 indicate statistical significant differences ( ≤ 0.05)
between the pre-measurement and the post-measurement of the experimental group in all
volleyball skills (receiving, passing, and serving). Therefore, the second null hypothesis H02 was
rejected.
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International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
Table 3
Differences between the Pre- and Post-measurements in Volleyball Skills for the
Experimental Group (N=15)
Volleyball
Pre-Measurement
Post-Measurement
T
Skills
Mean
SD
Mean
SD
Receiving
8.66
4.98
17.88
0.15
4.26
Passing
13.23
6.25
25.14
3.12
5.23
Serving
13.25
3.99
27.19
2.17
4.35
Sig
0.001
0.000
0.001
The results presented in Table 4 show that there were significant differences ( ≤ 0.05)
between the post-measurement of the control and experimental groups in all volleyball skills
(receiving, passing, and serving). Therefore, the Third null hypothesis H03 was rejected.
Table 4
Differences between the Post-measurements of the Control and Experimental Groups in
Volleyball Skills
Volleyball
Control Group
Experimental Group
T
Sig
Skills
Mean
SD
Mean
SD
Receiving
9.23
0.21
17.88
0.15
12.23
0.000
Passing
15.02
3.35
25.14
3.12
6.01
0.000
Serving
15.87
2.29
27.19
2.17
7.12
0.000
DISCUSTION
The findings of the current study revealed that students in the experimental group
exhibited more significant mean achievement than their counterparts in the control group. The
performance of physical education (PE) students in volleyball skills was enhanced mostly by
using visual aids and minimally by the traditional lecture method.
The results of this study supported the notion that teaching aids were significant factors
on students’ achievement. The higher performance by the students could be due to the usage of
visual aids that provide more concrete representations of ideas and concepts that were normally
taught in an abstract form in traditional classes (Quarcoo-Nelson, Buabeng, & Osafo, 2012).
The advantages of using visual instructional techniques during teaching-learning sessions
are immense and remarkable as compared to the traditional methods of teaching (Murtaza,
Naseer Ud Din, & Khan, 2011). It is evident that the use of visual aids enhances learning
volleyball skills and serves as an effective tool for motivating PE students to learn.
The findings of this study were consistent with the results obtained in the professional
literature review (Gia, Lawrence, Juan, 2015; Akerele & Afolabi, 2012; Fakomogbon, Bada,
Omiola, & Adebayo, 2012; Quarcoo-Nelson, Buabeng, Osafo, 2012; Ay, 2011; Murtaza, Naseer
Ud Din, Khan, 2011) which concluded that visual aids are highly effective in making teaching
learning process more effective and fruitful.
International Journal of Education Research, Volume 10, Number 2, Fall 2015
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LIMITATIONS
Due to the nature of the study design, the study has several limitations: a) the findings are
generalizable only to the target population and to the same setting; b) the extraneous variables of
environment (such as training and participation of the participants in volleyball activities inside
and outside the university) cannot be completely controlled.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of using the traditional teaching
method compared to using visual aids in teaching. The effectiveness of each teaching technique
was evaluated by measuring its influence on teaching physical education students different
volleyball skills.
The study has shown that the use of visual aids significantly enhanced students'
performance in volleyball compared to the use of the traditional teaching method. Therefore, the
use of visual aids should be adopted in teaching and learning sport skills in order to determine its
effectiveness and possible adoption as a major instructional strategy in PE colleges. The
researcher recommends that it is necessary to use suitable visual aids in teaching volleyball
skills.
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About the Author:
Mo'een Oudat is assistant professor of methods of teaching physical education at the Hashemite University
(Jordan) from 2011 till now. He earned Bachelor in physical education from Yarmouk University (Jordan) in 1999,
and Master in sport sciences from the same university in 2002. He earned PhD in methods of physical education
teaching from Helwan University (Egypt) in 2006. Dr. Mo’een began his teaching career in 2006 at Al-Balqa
University (Jordan) then became an assistant professor at Hail University (Saudi Arabia) from 2009 to 2011.
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