Name of the mobile application: Alfamov
Category of the mobile application: Education
Platform: iOS (iPhone and iPad 11.0 & above), Android (versions 2.3.3 & above)
Cost: Free
About the App
How confident are you in accurately assessing a 7-year-old’s fundamental movement skills? Alfamov is a digital application designed to assess and monitor primary schoolchildren’s fundamental movement skills (FMS) competence (ages 6 to 12). It was designed and developed through two national projects on motor competence and healthy lifestyles [codes: RTI2018-096106-A-I00 and PID2021-128640OB-100], funded by FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades – Agencia Estatal de Investigación.
Alfamov contains 22 FMS (10 locomotor, 7 object control and 5 stability skills) selected from four assessment tests (1-4). The app consists of:
- A didactic section that provides information about the FMS and explains their developmental significance [Figures 1 and 2]
- An assessment section for the systematic assessment of these FMS [Figure 3].
Figure 1:
Figure 2:
Figure 3:
To facilitate the assessment, Alfamov provides a checklist of performance criteria for each skill to be scored by the assessors [Figure 3]. These performance criteria are scored ‘1’ if they are met or ‘0’ if they are not met. The sum of the performance criteria for each skill gives the score for each skill individually. In addition, Alfamov provides the subscale scores (locomotor, manipulative and stability) by summing the scores of the component skills and, finally, provides the overall motor competence score.
Information on post-assessment scores can be accessed through the profile created for each child [Figure 4], which also records anthropometric characteristics or other data of interest (e.g., hand or foot predominance), and can be used to view previous assessments and details of each assessment.
Figure 4:
Use in clinical practice
This innovative application serves a dual purpose in the clinical setting. It provides physical educators with educational information to help accurately assess motor competence, and facilitates the assessment process. In addition, Alfamov has the potential to improve communication between key stakeholders involved in children’s motor competence development, from physical education teachers to paediatric healthcare professionals and families. By facilitating smooth communication and information sharing, the app creates a unified platform for these different stakeholders, enabling a comprehensive approach to interventions that enhance motor competence. The potential impact extends beyond the school, as efficient collaboration enables tailored interventions that can lead to improved outcomes in children’s overall motor development.
Alfamov also offers value across different professional contexts. In clinical practice, it complements existing assessment protocols by providing a structured and accessible digital tool. For researchers, its standardised design facilitates consistent and comparable data collection. Within educational contexts, Alfamov can serve as an engaging resource to support the development of fundamental movement skills in children within school environments.
Pros:
- Provides didactic information about motor competence and the importance of its assessment.
- Facilitates the systematic motor competence assessment providing a checklist of performance criteria for each skill.
- Includes 22 fundamental movement skills from the three motor competence subscales: locomotor, object control and stability.
- The fundamental movement skills included were derived from the compilation of four FMS assessment tests (1-4), as there is insufficient evidence to justify the use of a specific battery.
- Allows for both real-time and delayed assessment, using pre-recorded videos.
- Allows users to store data within the app, making it easy to compare data from multiple assessments for comprehensive analysis.
- Free of charge
Cons:
- Requires internet connection.
- Available Spanish only (English version coming soon).
- Interface optimised for tablets, users on alternative devices (e.g., mobiles) may experience inconsistences in the interface observation.
- Usefulness depends on knowledge and familiarity with motor competence assessment.
- Interpretation of the results obtained may be influenced by the user’s skills and experience.
Next steps and access:
Alfamov is recommended for clinicians, researchers, and educators working with children aged 6–12 who seek to assess and monitor fundamental movement skills systematically. To get started effectively, users should consult the official Alfamov website for additional details https://alfamov.com, where the app is available for download https://alfamov.com/descargar-alfamov/ and a comprehensive video tutorial on how to use Alfamov can be accessed https://alfamov.com/videotutorial/. Integration into clinical, research, or educational workflows is straightforward, with step-by-step guidance available to ensure accurate and consistent application.
References:
- Ulrich DA. Test of Gross Motor Development – 3rd Ed. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed Publishers; 2019.
- Rudd JR, Barnett LM, Butson ML, Farrow D, Berry J, Polman RCJ. Fundamental movement skills are more than run, throw and catch: The role of stability skills. PLoS One. 2015;10(10):1-15.
- NSW Department of Education and Training. Get Skilled: Get Active. A K-6 resource to support the teaching of fundament skills. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: NSW Department of Education and Training; 2016.
- Department of Educaction WA. Fundamental Movement Skills: Book 2. The Tools for Learning, Teaching and Assessment. The Government of Western Australia; 2013.
Authors and Affiliations:
Aida Carballo-Fazanes [1-3]
Email: aidacarballofaz@gmail.com
Cristian Abelairas-Gómez [1,3,4]
Email: cristian.abelairas.gomez@usc.es
Cristina Varela-Casal [5,6,7]
Email: cristinavarelacasal@uvigo.es
Ezequiel Rey [6,7]
Email: zequirey@uvigo.es
- Simulation, Life Support, and Intensive Care Research Unit (SICRUS), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Faculty of Nursing, Universidade de Santiago, Pontevedra, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- CLINURSID Research Group, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Faculty of Education, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Faculty of Design, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
- Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
- REMOSS Research Group, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, Universidade de Vigo, Spain.