Evidências de validade de um teste de aquaticidade para adolescentes em fase de aprendizagem na natação

Abstract

The assessment must be considered in the teaching-learning planning of aquatic motor skills since the performance control is part of this process. Although there are tests to assess the aquatic skills, there is a lack of validated tests for the Brazilian aged 12 to 14. Due to criticism of the current teaching of swimming, even in the early stages of learning, the term aquaticity emerged and along with it an assessment test, published in Greece in 2016. Aquaticity refers to the ability that humans develop from a young age or through the practice of activities and water sports, to move and to adapt to this environment. This study aimed to develop and present evidence of validity of aquaticity test for adolescents swimming learners, verifying their face, content and ecological validity. Three sample groups were studied: 5 experts in the field of water sports, 16 adolescents aged 12 to 14 years and 8 experts, with at least 10 years of experience in water sports and teaching at undergraduate level, for at least three semesters in the swimming or water sports classes. Evidence of face validity was verified with specialists and apprentices, requiring few adaptations and changes. The Aquaticity Test - Brazil presented evidence of validity based on content in the two analysis phases, according to the criteria of language clarity (0.88 and 1.00), practical relevance (0.86 and 0.92) and theoretical relevance (0.86 and 1.00). The results of ecological validity considering the relevance of aquatic competences showed that in the two assessment phases, all tasks include at least one aquatic competence with maximum relevance value, with breathing being the most relevant in the instrument's actions in the two assessment phases. The results of ecological validity considering the relevance of the actions of the tasks in the aquatic modalities, in the first phase of evaluation, showed that tasks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12 were considered relevant for swimming, tasks 2, 4, 5 and 6 for water polo, tasks 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 and 12 for artistic swimming, task 11 for diving and tasks 2, 4 and 5 for open water swimming. Tasks 9 and 10 were considered not relevant in the modalities. However, in the second phase, the actions of the 12 tasks became relevant in at least one of the five investigated modalities: swimming in talks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11 and 12, water polo in 1, 4, 5 and 6, artistic swimming in 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12, diving in 11 and open water swimming in 1, 2, 4 and 5. The actions of task 2 were the most relevant in the first phase and the actions of task 1 in the second phase. It is concluded that the Aquaticity Test - Brazil presents satisfactory results of face, content and ecological validity, ensuring a valid and reliable aquaticity evaluation. The protocol presents clear and accessible instructions for assessing adolescents swimming learners.