DIABOLO RESEARCH SERIAL (1)-MOTIVATION FOR ENGAGEMENT(參與動機)

建立於 2023-06-16, 週五 06:46

Written by 余俗慧

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https://www.juggle.org/diabolo-research-serial-1-motivation-for-engagement%E5%8F%83%E8%88%87%E5%8B%95%E6%A9%9F/

This research serial aims to introduce, compare and analyse the master’s theses relevant to diabolo research in Taiwan. Some of the significant theses from respective disciplines are cited here as examples for cross- comparison and analysis. All the participants, interviewees and testees were volunteers and their names remained anonymous in theses for the purposes of privacy and research ethics. Most of the online theses here contain Mandarin full-texts. They’re open to public access and available to be downloaded for free from the theses database of National Central Library, Taiwan. https://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/gsweb.cgi/ccd=LwTfO./webmge?mode=basic

The first topic is about the motivation for engagement in diabolo learning, classes, teams, or activities. Various demographic variables are often examined to investigate the interrelation among one another. For example, Tu (2011) conducted a quantitative research on the impacts of learning motivation and training
satisfaction on learning efficiency toward diabolo learners of primary schools in Tainan county by the typical Likert’s 5-point scale (rating scale for the level of agreement or disagreement). The variables of gender, age, length of training, educational level and career of parents were utilised in questionnaires for finding out the interrelation.

On the contrary, Chen (2013) adopted qualitative methods including semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observation and document analysis to investigate the process of students’ engagement in diabolo clubs and managing strategies by coaches in a primary school. Questions such as the motivation to join school diabolo clubs, difficulties or obstacles for carrying on, and influences on academic performance or life were enquired to the club students while questions such like the management of clubs, concerns or difficulties about instructing students, financial sponsorship and supports as well as progressive plan for the future were requested to the coaches.

Similarly, Wu (2016) utilised the semi-structured in-depth interviews to explore how the 6 agents of socialization in sports influenced students’ engagement in diabolo team of a primary school. The agents included family members, coaches, teachers, peer groups, schools and social media. Questions such as the favourable and unfavourable reasons for joining diabolo team from family members, expectations to coaches as well as influences from peer groups and social media for joining the team were enquired to student team members while questions such as the pro and con factors toward students’ participation to the diabolo team were requested to coaches, family members of the students, school administrators and teachers.

In summary
Findings from the above 3 theses revealed the following points:

1. Diabolo has been officially acknowledged as one of the major folk sports and partially subsidised by Taiwan’s government, but the grants are still relatively insufficient comparing to the ones for other sports.
2. A majority of diabolo coaches aren’t certified school teachers and it makes the promotion to schools harder. The current certified school teachers should be encouraged and subsidised to attend diabolo tutorials or workshops for being the promoters in schools.
3. Assistances from school administrators should be categorised as part of the administrative tasks instead of volunteer work.
4. Schools should improve their sport courts, gyms or facilities to fit the diabolo training in rainy days and cold winters. Also, the ceiling height of indoor courts or gyms needs to be high enough for the diabolo tossing tricks.
5. More inter-school competitions or performances should be held for students to acquire and exchange experiences.
6. Online platforms are helpful to students, coaches and school teachers for sharing different experiences. Social media also play an important role for escalating students’ engagement in diabolo in the digital age in terms of the accessibility and timeliness.

Reference:
1. Tu, C.P. (2011). Impacts of learning motivation and training satisfaction on learning efficiency – a study on diabolo learners of primary schools in Tainan county, unpublished master’s thesis, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taiwan
2. Chen, F.C. (2013). Dance with diabolo: process of students’ engagement in diabolo clubs and managing strategies by coaches in a primary school, unpublished master’s thesis, National University of Tainan, Taiwan
3. Wu, S.L. (2016). Effects from agents of socialization in sports on students’ engagement in diabolo team of Dong-ping primary school, unpublished master’s thesis, National Taichung University of Education, Taiwan

About the author:
Mark Tsai/ PhD in Communication, University of Canberra, Australia. He won the championship title from Australian Diabolo Tournament and is currently working at Medicare Australia.