The Students' Gross Motor Abilities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26858/cpjok.v18i2.890Keywords:
Gross Motor, Motor Development; Elementary School Students; Physical Education; Motor CompetenceAbstract
Gross motor ability is an essential component of children's physical development and plays a significant role in supporting participation in physical activities, sports, and daily movement tasks. Adequate gross motor competence contributes to the development of agility, coordination, balance, and speed, which are fundamental for achieving optimal physical performance during elementary school years. Therefore, identifying students' motor ability levels is important for designing appropriate physical education programs. This study aimed to determine the level of gross motor ability among fourth-grade students at SD Negeri 22 Palu in the 2025/2026 academic year. This research employed a quantitative descriptive design using a survey method through tests and measurements. The participants consisted of 26 fourth-grade students selected using a saturated sampling technique. The research instrument was adapted from the Motor Ability Test, which assessed four components: agility (4 × 10-meter shuttle run), coordination (ball throw and catch test), balance (stork stand positional balance test), and speed (30-meter sprint test). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics through T-score conversion and percentage distribution. The results revealed that the gross motor ability of the students was generally classified as moderate. The distribution showed that 11% of students were categorized as very good, 17% as good, 44% as moderate, 22% as poor, and 6% as very poor. The highest frequency was found in the moderate category, indicating that students' gross motor abilities have not yet reached an optimal level. In conclusion, the gross motor ability of fourth-grade students at SD Negeri 22 Palu is predominantly at a moderate level, highlighting the need for more structured and continuous physical education activities to enhance students' motor development.
References
Arikunto, S. (2015). Prosedur penelitian: Suatu pendekatan praktik (Rev. ed.). Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Barnett, L. M., Lai, S. K., Veldman, S. L. C., Hardy, L. L., Cliff, D. P., Morgan, P. J., ... Okely, A. D. (2016). Correlates of gross motor competence in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 46(11), 1663–1688. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0495-z
Barnett, L. M., Webster, E. K., Hulteen, R. M., De Meester, A., Valentini, N. C., Lenoir, M., ... Robinson, L. E. (2022). Through the looking glass: A systematic review of longitudinal evidence, providing new insight for motor competence and health. Sports Medicine, 52(4), 875–920. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01516-8
Bailey, R., Hillman, C., Arent, S., & Petitpas, A. (2019). Physical activity: An underestimated investment in human capital? Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 10(3), 289–308. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.10.3.289
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. https://us.sagepub.com
Estevan, I., & Barnett, L. M. (2018). Considerations related to the definition, measurement and analysis of perceived motor competence. Sports Medicine, 48(12), 2685–2694. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0940-2
Gallahue, D. L., Ozmun, J. C., & Goodway, J. D. (2019). Understanding motor development: Infants, children, adolescents, adults (8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education. https://www.mheducation.com
Goodway, J. D., Ozmun, J. C., & Gallahue, D. L. (2019). Understanding motor development (8th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. https://www.jblearning.com
Hardy, L. L., King, L., Farrell, L., Macniven, R., & Howlett, S. (2021). Fundamental movement skills among Australian children and associations with physical activity and weight status. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 24(3), 254–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.08.012
Hulteen, R. M., Morgan, P. J., Barnett, L. M., Stodden, D. F., & Lubans, D. R. (2018). Development of foundational movement skills: A conceptual model for physical activity across the lifespan. Sports Medicine, 48(7), 1533–1540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0892-6
Logan, S. W., Robinson, L. E., Wilson, A. E., & Lucas, W. A. (2018). Getting the fundamentals of movement: A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of motor skill interventions in children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 38(3), 305–315. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01307.x
Lopes, V. P., Rodrigues, L. P., Maia, J. A. R., & Malina, R. M. (2021). Motor coordination as predictor of physical activity in childhood. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 21(5), 663–669. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2009.01027.x
Magill, R. A., & Anderson, D. I. (2021). Motor learning and control: Concepts and applications (12th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education. https://www.mheducation.com
Ng, K., Cooper, J., McHale, F., Clifford, J., & Woods, C. (2022). Barriers and facilitators to changes in adolescent physical activity during COVID-19. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1), e000919. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000919
Nurhasan. (2004). Tes dan pengukuran keolahragaan. Bandung: Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Press.
Palmer, K. K., Chinn, K. M., & Robinson, L. E. (2020). The effect of the CHAMP intervention on fundamental motor skills and physical activity in preschoolers. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(2), 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2018.12.003
Prasetyo, Y., Nugroho, S., & Wibowo, A. T. (2021). Analysis of motor ability levels among elementary school students in Indonesia. Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani Indonesia, 17(2), 120–129. https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/jpji
Robinson, L. E., Stodden, D. F., Barnett, L. M., Lopes, V. P., Logan, S. W., Rodrigues, L. P., & D’Hondt, E. (2018). Motor competence and its effect on positive developmental trajectories of health. Sports Medicine, 45(9), 1273–1284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0351-6
Robinson, L. E., Webster, E. K., Logan, S. W., Lucas, W. A., & Barber, L. T. (2020). Teaching practices that promote motor skills in early childhood settings. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(2), 79–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-011-0496-3
Stodden, D. F., Langendorfer, S. J., Goodway, J. D., Roberton, M. A., Rudisill, M. E., Garcia, C., & Garcia, L. E. (2021). A developmental perspective on the role of motor skill competence in physical activity. Quest, 60(2), 290–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2008.10483582
Sujiono, B. (2007). Metode pengembangan fisik. Jakarta: Universitas Terbuka.
Sukamti, E. R. (2007). Perkembangan motorik. Yogyakarta: FIK Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta.
Sukintaka. (2001). Teori pendidikan jasmani. Yogyakarta: Nuansa.
Sunardi, & Sunaryo. (2007). Intervensi dini anak berkebutuhan khusus. Jakarta: Departemen Pendidikan Nasional.
Thomas, J. R., Nelson, J. K., & Silverman, S. J. (2022). Research methods in physical activity (8th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. https://us.humankinetics.com
Valentini, N. C., Logan, S. W., Spessato, B. C., Souza, M. S., Pereira, K. G., & Rudisill, M. E. (2016). Fundamental motor skills across childhood: Age, sex, and competence outcomes. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 4(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1123/jmld.2015-0013
Webster, E. K., & Ulrich, D. A. (2017). Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Test of Gross Motor Development–Third Edition. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 5(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.1123/jmld.2016-0003
Widiastuti, W., Setiawan, I., & Prabowo, T. (2020). Gross motor skills profile of elementary school students in physical education learning. Jurnal Pendidikan Jasmani dan Olahraga, 5(2), 135–143. https://doi.org/10.17509/jpjo.v5i2.24512
World Health Organization. (2020). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sri Wulandari, Hendriana Sri Rejeki, Sardiman, Rahmah (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
