Modeling-Enhanced Jump Rope Instruction: An Interdisciplinary Study on Mathematical Cognition and Physical Education

This study investigates the integration of mathematical modeling into primary physical education (PE) through long rope skipping tasks. Grounded in complexity theory and embodied cognition, we designed a four-phase instructional model that links movement coordination with variable-based reasoning. A quasi-experimental design was conducted across Grades 4–6 (N = 258), featuring pre-post assessments and subgroup comparisons. Results indicate that students in the modeling-integrated group demonstrated significant gains in skipping fluency, rhythm adaptation, and representational accuracy. Notably, gender-homogeneous teams outperformed mixed groups in short-cycle coordination, revealing pedagogical insights into group dynamics. This research contributes to the underexplored intersection of model-eliciting activities (MEA) and embodied learning, offering a scalable framework for interdisciplinary curriculum design in movement-based contexts.