Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Professor in Motor Behavior, Department of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2
Ph.D. student, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Background and Purpose
One of the effective factors affecting new students’ learning and participation in sports activities in schools and other educational settings is the teacher's instructional method. Observations have led to the development of alternative pedagogical approaches to teach games to novices through play. Preliminary games—simplified versions of actual games with easier rules—allow learners to participate correctly. This approach is known as non-linear pedagogy.
On a daily basis, people face dynamic situations requiring countless decisions about future actions to perform successfully. To succeed under ever-changing conditions, one must consider not only environmental constraints imposed on the individual but also task- and individual-specific constraints present at the time of performance. In biological systems, self-organization occurs within groups of organisms when individual efforts alone are insufficient to accomplish collective tasks. In these circumstances, coordination among members is necessary to reach larger goals. Self-organization refers to systems composed of multiple agents developing structure in the absence of centralized control.
In football, team coordination is a foundational condition for success. The type and manner of coaching to enhance coordination, thus promoting self-organization, can guide scientists in identifying appropriate training methods. Which pedagogy—non-linear or traditional—better enhances skill abilities and thereby fosters self-organization in football players is of paramount interest among coaches. Beyond improving self-organization, employing innovative pedagogical approaches in football training may elevate game performance and develop player skills. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of linear and non-linear pedagogies on self-organization in football players.
Methods
This study employed a semi-experimental design incorporating pre-test, post-test, retention, and transfer assessments within four groups. The statistical population consisted of male undergraduate students at Urmia University enrolled in a physical education course during the first semester of the academic year 1401-1402. Forty male students were selected based on responses to personal data questionnaires, including football playing history. None had prior experience playing football. Participants were randomly allocated to four equal groups (n=10 each): training using the SET method, the PP method, the GS method, and the traditional method, respectively.
Self-organization was measured using the Spatial Integrated Model of Self-Organization in Football Teams (SIMSOFT). Participants underwent evaluation during four phases: pre-test, post-test, retention test, and transfer test. After signing consent forms, participants competed in two 25-minute halves of 5-on-5 games held on one-quarter of a football field. Evaluation utilized a technical/tactical action scale. Pre-test scores contributed to group homogenization. Data analysis involved repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA, with subsequent Bonferroni post hoc tests conducted at an alpha level of 0.05.
Results
Mauchly’s test results for sphericity showed significance levels for pass density (P=0.001), pass accuracy (P=0.119), and efficiency (P=0.001). Repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant effects of time on pass density (P=0.001, F=113.387), interaction effects of time × group (P=0.001, F=8.589), and significant group effects (P=0.001, F=11.489). Similarly, pass accuracy demonstrated significant effects of time (P=0.001, F=190.559), time × group interaction (P=0.001, F=16.604), and group influence (P=0.001, F=11.011). Efficiency also exhibited significant time effect (P=0.001, F=70.308), time × group interaction (P=0.001, F=6.032), and group effect (P=0.001, F=6.328).
Further repeated measures ANOVA by group revealed significant effects of time on pass density, pass accuracy, and efficiency across all groups (P<0.05). Bonferroni post hoc testing demonstrated significant improvements from pre-test to post-test stages. The SET, PP, and GS groups exhibited significant progress in transfer phases relative to the traditional group.
One-way ANOVA results showed significant between-group differences in pass density, pass accuracy, and efficiency at post-test, retention, and transfer stages (P<0.05). Bonferroni post hoc comparisons indicated that the traditional group performed significantly worse than the other groups across all variables and stages.
Conclusion
In general, the traditional method of structured training emphasizes intensive technique practice, or in the worst case, focuses on maintaining novice players’ interest in games. In contrast, non-linear pedagogy encourages active participation and a dynamic environment throughout training sessions, placing learners within a comprehensive educational framework that significantly enhances overall learning. Additionally, the communicative aspects of learning during gameplay—such as the interaction between tactics and technique—are evident in non-linear approaches. Non-linear training promotes learner development across social, participatory, and cognitive domains of sports more effectively than traditional methods.
Article Message
These findings pave a new pathway to analyze and integrate individual and team performance within a unified framework, which can be actualized through enhancing non-linear training methods for skill development in football. Emphasizing core concepts of non-linear pedagogy and dynamic training environments facilitates self-organization, yielding improved outcomes. Since concepts underlying nonlinear training and its effects on self-organization continuously evolve toward a system-based approach to football skill acquisition, further research is warranted in this domain.
Ethical Considerations
Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Sport Sciences Research Institute (Code: SSRI.REC-2309-2413).
Authors’ Contributions
Conceptualization: Hasan Mohammadzadeh
Data Collection: Milad Boustanban Ghaziyani
Data Analysis: Milad Boustanban Ghaziyani
Manuscript Writing: Milad Boustanban Ghaziyani
Review and Editing: Hasan Mohammadzadeh
Responsible for Funding: Hasan Mohammadzadeh
Literature Review: Hasan Mohammadzadeh
Project Management: Hasan Mohammadzadeh
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest in scientific, economic, or personal terms.
Acknowledgments
This research received no specific grant from any public, commercial, or non-profit funding agencies.
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