To address the topic of motor competence, Hernández Moreno and collaborators (2014)1 introduce us by presenting Recommendation 2006/962/EC, of the European Parliament and the Council, of December 18, 2006, which understands key competences as “those that all individuals need for their personal fulfillment and development, as well as for active citizenship, social inclusion, and employment.”
Following these arguments, motor skills could be a fundamental tool for total development as citizens. However, if motor competence is not part of the current key competences, “where do we place it in the legal and/or curricular framework?”
Concept of motor competence
Motor competence is defined as the integration of knowledge, procedures, attitudes, and emotions linked to motor behavior to effectively resolve the multiple interactions that an individual has with the environment and others, in various contexts of daily life.
We might consider using to our advantage (contextualizing in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands) that in the Decree 83 / 2016, of July 4, which establishes the curriculum in Compulsory Secondary Education and Baccalaureate in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, the concept-words “motor competence” are mentioned several times. We will see later that this can be a barrier.
Reasons why it should be considered a key competence
Hernández Moreno and collaborators (2014)1 put forward a series of reasons why motor competence should be considered as such:
- Reasons for personal development.
- Pedagogical reasons.
- Psychological and affective reasons.
- Professional reasons.
- Educational reasons.
Highlighting their argument regarding educational reasons, where they state that education must address the integrity of the person, but on the other hand the established key competences do not address the motor dimension of the human being, which makes it impossible to achieve the integral, holistic, and globalized education that is advocated as the ultimate goal in modern educational systems.
Therefore, the absence of motor competence as a key competence in a competence-based and inclusive educational system would not be understood.
Importance of motor competence as a key competence
The importance lies in the fact that when a person knows how to solve motor problems, their motor competence is updated and developed in any context that requires motor skills.
It is therefore, and as a fundamental premise to advance epistemologically, “the difficult task of science”, that motor competence be considered as an inherent aspect of the human being and not exclusive to any subject, because the fact of being unique to a subject makes it specific and not key (Pérez-Pueyo and collaborators 2016)2.
Motor competence: specific competence
However, in another work, Gómez, A. and collaborators (2021)3, where many authors agree with the 2014 review, they make it clear and literally state that for them motor competence is a specific competence, which in a unidirectional way leads to a contradiction, not being able to be a key competence.
Returning to the approaches of Pérez-Pueyo and collaborators (2016)2 the problem lies in assigning the area of Physical Education the motor competence, because in this way the transversality that must be provided from all subjects is lost, and not from the exclusivity of just one. In other words, the prominence and responsibility should be of all areas.
However, the same authors propose a new path to make motor skills a key competence, the transversal perspective.
Transversal perspective
Their fundamental premise for such a change is to reflect on a competence linked to motor, psychomotor, or bodily aspects from the transversal perspective that key competences possess and not from the traditional own and exclusive approach of the subject of Physical Education.
This transversality would be obtained through what they call Key Bodily Competence, which would present a series of dimensions that can truly be worked on from all subjects, thus contributing to it, to integral development and its transfer to active and adult life.
To avoid repeating the mistake, they use the case of linguistic competence as an example. In this case, they have not named the specific competence of this subject as linguistic competence, but as communicative competence, which translates into being able to be worked on by all areas.
Lack of competence content
Following again the ideas of Pérez-Pueyo and collaborators (2016)2, a priori the contribution of subjects other than Physical Education to the Key Bodily Competence might seem null or minimized, but just like with the case of linguistic competence, other subjects can contribute to it.
Their methodological appreciation is of great interest when highlighting Gamification as “a motivating and innovative resource” for other areas to develop bodily competence.
To avoid confusion, they make it clear that it is necessary to differentiate the motor skills of our field (recreational or competitive physical activity) from the motor skills that every person, regardless of whether they engage in physical activity or not, requires for their personal development, and this latter is what gives it the status of transversal.
Key bodily competence
Pérez-Pueyo and collaborators (2016)2 establish the concept of Key Bodily Competence (instead of motor competence) as the ability to use and care for our body appropriately, enjoy and express oneself with it.
The sought-after transversality would be achieved through some dimensions or subcompetences that from each area, and not only from Physical Education, would enable its acquisition. In the following table, we will see their proposal.
Conclusions
- Motor competence is a competence subject to debate in the educational field.
- Its inclusion as a key competence requires a change in epistemological approach.
- A transfer from its specific entity to transversal is necessary.
- New studies need to be conducted to fully configure its status.
References
- Hernández Moreno, J. et al. (2014). Motor competence as a key competence.
- Pérez-Pueyo, A., García Busto, O., Hortigüela Alcalá, D., Aznar Cebamanos, M. and Vidal Valero, S. (2016). Is a (true) key competence related to motor skills possible? The bodily competence. Spanish Journal of Physical Education and Sports; 415, 51-71.
- Gómez, A. and collaborators (2021). (Re) thinking motor competence. Challenges; 40: 375-384.
