Integrating Pedagogical Innovation in School Basketball: Comparing Tactical Training and Flipped Learning among Adolescent Female Students

Introduction: Innovative pedagogical approaches are increasingly emphasized in physical education to enhance students’ tactical understanding and sport performance. However, limited evidence exists comparing tactical training and flipped learning in school basketball settings, particularly among adolescent female students.
Objectives: This study compared the effects of tactical training and flipped learning on tactical knowledge and basketball skill performance among adolescent female students.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a parallel-group design was conducted among 180 female students (aged 13–17 years) in Karaj, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to tactical training (n=60), flipped learning (n=60), or control (n=60). The intervention lasted 8 weeks. Tactical knowledge was assessed using a standardized test (0–100), and basketball skill performance was measured using an observational rating scale (0–25). Data were analyzed using ANCOVA controlling for baseline scores.
Results: Significant group effects were found for tactical knowledge, F(2,164)=48.72, p<0.001, η²=0.37, and skill performance, F(2,164)=41.56, p<0.001, η²=0.34. Both tactical training and flipped learning groups outperformed the control group in tactical knowledge (71.4±7.9; 66.2±8.1 vs. 45.8±8.2) and skill performance (19.8±2.9; 18.3±3.0 vs. 13.1±3.1; all p<0.001). The tactical training group showed significantly greater improvements than the flipped learning group in both tactical knowledge (p=0.02) and skill performance (p=0.03).
Conclusion: Both tactical training and flipped learning effectively enhanced tactical knowledge and basketball skill performance in adolescent female students. However, tactical training demonstrated superior effects, suggesting that game-based pedagogical approaches may be more effective for developing sport competence in school basketball programs.