Enhancing social cohesion in PE classes within an intercultural learning program: results of a quasi-experimental intervention study

Background: Modern Western societies are comprised of social and cultural diversity. As such, it is important that young people develop an awareness and appreciation of different cultures. Physical education (PE) and sport are often considered spaces where intercultural competence and social cohesion can be addressed through motor, social, cognitive, and emotional learning processes. 'Intercultural Movement Education' (IME) (Giess-Stuber 2008) is considered one such approach to teach the above skills. This is done by creating activities that are 'critical incidents' that produce challenging and uncomfortable situations amongst students in which they must work together. Whilst the IME approach has had an initial positive wave of support, there has been no intervention studies to examine its effects on sociocultural variables. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use an intervention to examine the effects of IME (Giess-Stuber 2008) on attitudes towards cultural heterogeneity and social cohesion with young people. Research design: The study consisted in a quasi-experimental design with four measurement points. The intervention group (IG) (N = 69; mean age = 11.6 years (SD = 0.60)) followed PE lessons planned using the IME approach. The internal control group (CG(int)) (N = 63; mean age = 11.8 years (SD = 0.62)) and external control group (CG(ext)) (N = 93; mean age = 10.8 years (SD = 0.69)) were taught according to their previous curriculum and pedagogical approach. All subjects took questionnaires that measured acculturation attitudes and class climate. In addition, social cohesion was examined using a sociogram. Results: Acculturation attitudes expressing 'assimilation and segregation' increased significantly for students that were taught using the IME approach. In addition, the class using IME had an increase in social cohesion and this remained stable in a follow-up comparison. There was no significant effect on 'solidarity'; however, solidarity did decrease in the IME class. Amongst girls, there was a significant decrease on integration attitudes in the IME class. Lastly, there was a significant decrease in class climate toward rivalry in the IME class and the internal control group. Discussion: The study in its totality showed that social cohesion and class climate improved using the IME approach. However, assimilative and segregative attitudes also significantly increased using the approach. Thus, the intervention study produced equivocal results. One interpretation of the results is a need for a sense of security and continuity amongst students prior to systematically creating critical incidents. As such, the excessive amount of systematically provoked critical incidents may cause both a need for segregation, but also a sense of unity amongst young people.