Developmental sequences for hopping as assessment instruments: a generalizability analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the generalizability with which undergraduate kinesiology and elementary education students can rate children's hopping performances according to prelongitudinally validated developmental sequences for the arms, legs, and total body. Twenty observers were assigned to one of four training groups (n = 5): (a) kinesiology students/total-body sequence, (b) kinesiology students/component sequences, (c) elementary education students/total-body sequence, and (d) elementary education students/component sequences. The observers rated five trials of videotaped hopping performances by 10 boys and 10 girls between the ages of 3.5 and 9.0 years. The results suggested that when kinesiology students receive 2 hours of training, one observer can reliably assess leg action in one trial (.80) and arm action in five trials (.80). In contrast, one elementary education student can reliably assess leg action within five trials (.80), but the average score of two observers assessing three trials each is needed to assess arm action (.81). Reliable assessment of total-body action requires two observers for both the kinesiology students (four trials each = .80) and the elementary education students (two trials each = .84).