Shir Prekis Amir, Ronnie Lidor, Sharona T. Levy E77 Introduction In recent years, digital technologies have transformed how learners engage with knowledge. However, in physical education, technology use remains limited and is often focused on tracking performance and motivation rather than supporting learning and understanding of movement (Casey & Jones, 2011; Sargent & Calderon, 2021). Sportions (Perkis, Lidor & Levy, 2025) was developed to address this gap by integrating computational thinking with motor learning. The study examines the cognitive and motor processes that emerge when learners construct exercises in a block-based environment. Theoretical Framework According to Piaget (2005), learning is an active process in which knowledge is built through interaction with the environment. In the context of this research, learners interact both digitally and physically, moving back and forth between the digital representation of the exercise and the actual motor execution. These representations help learners understand the mechanisms involved in performing specific movements. Papert (1991) expanded constructivism into constructionism, emphasizing that learners build knowledge more effectively when they create personally meaningful artifacts. In the current design, students reconstruct fitness exercises by coding them from basic components of action, enabling them to externalize and reflect on their understanding of movement. Computational Thinking (CT) is defined as the ability to solve problems, design systems, and understand human behavior in ways related to principles of computation (Wing, 2006). CT involves decomposition, pattern identification, algorithmic thinking, and abstraction. The US Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2013) identified CT as a core scientific practice, highlighting its potential to foster analytical and creative thinking. The design of the Sportions application utilizes CT to help learners decompose an exercise into a sequence of component actions, and design the algorithm that puts them back together. Motor learning involves both cognitive and physical aspects—understanding what to do and how to do it (Schmidt et al., 2018). Sportions combine these perspectives: learners construct understanding (constructionism) by coding physical exercises (CT) and observing how their actions relate to movement. This integration creates a digital learning experience that develops both cognitive and motor understanding of the body and its movements. Few studies have examined the integration of CT within physical education. Fritz et al. (2022) implemented the moveSMART Project — a collaborative educational game where fourth-grade students coded movement-based tasks over a year. Their findings showed improved coding confidence and greater understanding of CT, along with increased motivation for physical activity. Sportions: Supporting Understanding of Motor Schemes The development of Sportions followed a Design-Based Research (DBR) framework (Barab, 2006), enabling iterative refinement of both the digital tool and the learning processes it supports. Four iterations were conducted, progressing from physical prototypes to a controlled digital intervention. Our initial hypothesis, rooted in motor learning theory, was that coding an exercise requires decomposing it into small elements, encouraging learners to reason about joint actions, sequences, and muscular involvement. This process was expected to promote deeper cognitive.
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