Student Learning
    Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI)

      The GPAI is a good tool for teachers to use to observe and read game performance behaviors of their students.   It consists of breaking the class up into pairs and each student receives a worksheet with the GPAI criteria for the particular skill being evaluated.  Then, while one partner is playing the other records his/her partners game performance and behaviors.   These behaviors consist of:

1. 1.  Decision making- player attempts to pass to an open teammate
2. 2.  Skill execution- passing, shooting, control
3. 3.  various- player appeared to support the ball carrier by moving to open space

        Each behavior is further broken down into:  appropriate/inappropriate(Decision making) and efficient/inefficient(skill execution).  As the one partner is playing, the other partner observes and checks the appropriate columns of the skill behavior.

        Each student evaluating can also observe individual skills that the performer is performing as well.  This is another benefit of the GPAI:

1. Base- appropriate return of performer to a home or recovery position between skill attempts
2. Adjust- movement of performer, either offensively or defensively, as required by the flow of the game
3. Decision making- making appropriate choices about what to do with the ball (or projectile) during     a game
4. Skill execution- efficient performance of selected skills
5. Support- off-the-ball movement to a position to receive a pass when player's team has possession
6. Cover- providing defensive help for player making a play on the ball or moving to the ball (or projectile)
7. Guard or mark- defending against an opponent who may or may not have the ball (or projectile)

Teaching Instruction

        In order to have every student participating within your lesson, an effective tool is to get those students who do not have gym strip, sick or injured or who are not participating for other reasons to fill out a "Time on Task Recording Sheet" for the lesson.  This is a very good resource to use as a teacher because it supplies the teacher with adequate feedback about the lesson.  A time on task recording sheet is a system of observation in which teachers receive feedback on (a) teacher talking (b) managment/organization (c) student engagement.  Another useful tool to evaluate each lesson is to get those not participating to fill out a lesson organization.  It is similar to the time on task recording sheet except that this sheet deals with the organization of students, equipment, safety, groups and space.  It supplies feedback to the teacher as to what went well as well as what could be changed in order to make the lesson run smooth.