To imagine a motor action can be an effective way to improve performance and to promote learning, even in heterogeneous settings such as physical education in school.
Our recent work on the effectiveness of imagery training in school-based physical education is published (see here):
“(…) teachers can effectively integrate imagery training of a complex motor action into a regular PE class and that the combination of mental and physical practice is more beneficial than physical practice alone such as during a regular PE class without imagery training. If tailored to the heterogenous requirements of a school-based PE setting, imagery training can be a powerful means for practice in PE classes. Using imagery training during breaks in between executions led to a higher amount of practice, and promoted motor skill acquisition”
Many thanks to Katharina Bekemeier and Andrea Menze-Sonneck from the Sport and Education group of Bielefeld University!