Cooperation and physical condition: a healthy tandem

Abstract

At school level, the actual orientation of the P.E. curricula reflects the importance of the subject for healthy habits acquisition and consolidation through physical activity and sports (González Arévalo, 2010). Health, fitness and the active and constructive use of leisure and time are very important competences, which must be developed through the P.E at secondary school level (Decret 143/2007). Moreover the actual Curriculum, which is based on competences, needs to provide the students with the skills, abilities and enough knowledge to entitle the students to deal with the daily life problems and activities in a satisfactory way. Following above described objectives, the present work shows how cooperative work could be a valuable tool to facilitate the inclusion and heighten learning processes. Cooperative work allow attending the diversity, cultivates students social interaction and the “learn to learn” competences (Curto, et al., 2009). Velázquez (2006) defines cooperative learning as an educational methodology that allows students to work together in small groups with the objective to improve its own and others learning’s. Given the advantages of cooperative work described above, we consider that utilizing cooperative learning strategies during P.E classes maybe fundamental to promote healthy habits, improve student’s fitness, develop solving problems skills and foster teamwork.