A1 Journal article (refereed)
Pyöräilytaidon oppimista selittävät yksilö-, ympäristö- ja tehtävätason tekijät 1950-2010-luvuilla (2021)
The individual-, environmental- and task-related factors of learning cycling skills from the 1950s to the 2010s

Laukkanen, A., Hasanen, E., & Matilainen, P. (2021). Pyöräilytaidon oppimista selittävät yksilö-, ympäristö- ja tehtävätason tekijät 1950-2010-luvuilla. Liikunta ja tiede, 58(4), 91-98. https://www.lts.fi/media/lts_vertaisarvioidut_tutkimusartikkelit/2021/lt_4_2021-91-98.pdf

JYU authors or editors

Laukkanen, Arto
Hasanen, Elina
Matilainen, Pertti

Publication details

All authors or editors: Laukkanen, Arto; Hasanen, Elina; Matilainen, Pertti

Journal or series: Liikunta ja tiede

ISSN: 0358-7010

Publication year: 2021

Volume: 58

Issue number: 4

Pages range: 91-98

Publisher: Liikuntatieteellinen seura

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

Persistent website address: https://www.lts.fi/media/lts_vertaisarvioidut_tutkimusartikkelit/2021/lt_4_2021-91-98.pdf

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/77875

Abstract

Cycling, which is one of the most popular physical activities among people in Finland, promotes everyday physical activity and sustainable transport. Cycling skills allow Finnish children to move independently and contribute to expansion of the living environment. However, little is known about the factors associated with learning cycling skills. This knowledge would be important for providing as many people as possible at an early age with the opportunity to adopt a physically active and ecologically sustainable lifestyle through cycling. The aims of this study were to investigate which individual, environmental and task factors explain cycling skills and to understand the relationship between the learning decade of cycling skills and learning age. In addition to learning age and time, information was collected on cycling teachers, physical training environments and the initial equipment used in training. Data (N = 929) were collected via an online survey of the adult population concerning themselves and their children. The results were analysed with SPSS statistical software using descriptive analyses and one-way covariance analysis. The results revealed that the learning age of cycling decreased by about 1.5 years from the 1950s to the 2010s. However, learning age was not significantly explained by the time of learning itself but rather by the first equipment used in learning (8.6%, p < .001). Those who started learning on a balance bike learned cycling skills significantly earlier than those who learned with other instruments. Trend changes were observed in teachers and physical environmental factors over the decades, but they did not significantly explain the learning age. Equipment that facilitates the learning of cycling skills, particularly balance bikes, seems to be associated with an earlier cycling learning age, allowing this form of movement for younger children.

Keywords: children (age groups); motor skills (general); motor skills (sports); cycling; learning; readiness for learning; environmental factors