A study of the effect of peer-led instruction on the improvement of swimming skills of university students.

BACKGROUND: Peer-led instruction has been increasingly adopted in physical education; however, empirical evidence regarding its effectiveness in improving specific aquatic motor skills remains limited, particularly in university swimming education. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of peer-led versus traditional teacher-centred instruction on university students' 25-m breaststroke kicking performance over a 12-week intervention. A total of 80 s-year university students (19.6 ± 0.8 years; 40 males and 40 females) were included in the final analysis and allocated to either a traditional instruction group (n = 40) or a peer-led instruction group (n = 40). The primary outcome was 25-m breaststroke kick time, and secondary outcomes included physical fitness indicators and students' perceived learning experience. A mixed-design (Group × Time) framework was applied, with effect sizes (Cohen's d) reported to complement significance testing. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvements in breaststroke kicking performance over time. However, the peer-led group demonstrated greater improvement compared with the traditional group (12.5% vs. 8.3%, t(78) = 2.56, p = 0.02, Cohen's d = 0.57). Significant correlations were observed between several physical fitness indicators and swimming performance (p < 0.05). In addition, students in the peer-led group reported significantly higher satisfaction, learning initiative, and perceived skill improvement than those in the traditional group (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Structured peer-led instruction may be associated with greater improvements in breaststroke kicking performance and more positive learning experiences compared with traditional instruction in university physical education settings. These findings should be interpreted within the limitations of a quasi-experimental design.