Ömer Cengiz, Yunus Emre Avcı, Mustafa Toprak

School Physical Education courses: A study on challenges and on restoring their functions

This study represents an effort to explore and understand the experiences of individuals who have significant stakes on Physical Education and Sports (PES) courses either through being practically involved in teaching or planning this course or by being theoretically engaged in discourses relevant to the nature and normative enactment of the course. The main purpose of this study is to explore the status of Physical Education course through unveiling the voices of significant stakeholders. To this end, this qualitative study relied on several parameters: an examination of curriculum of physical education, Ministry of Education’s (MoNE’s) efforts and initiative to increase success at sports, the role of sports clubs at school along with an exploration of key 29 stakeholders’ experiences through semi-structured interviews. The results gathered through content analysis highlight that physical education and sports courses are mostly perceived of little worth, and that development of a strong sport culture is largely hindered by financial, systemic, and administrative constraints. The study also points out the urgent call for introduction of system-wide regulations and policies and further fortification of facilities.

PDF

___

Balga, T., Antala, B., & Argajová, J. (2019). Attitudes of elementary school pupi ls towards physica l educat ion and t heir differentiation from the point of view of age, sporting level and gender. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 19(1), 552-559.
Beni, S., Chróinín, D.N., & Fletcher, T. (2019). A focus on the how of meaningful physical education in primary schools. Sport, Education and Society, 24(6), 624-637. DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2019.1612349.
Bozoglu, O., & Göktürk, S. (2016). What’s going on in physical education classes in Turkey?: An insight into student attitude towards physical education, curricular issues and school conditions. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(33), 156-165.
Çelik, A., Koçkaya, E., & Parlar, F. (2018). Orta öğretim düzeyi öğrencilerin beden eğitimi ve spor dersi tutumları: Trabzon ili örneği. Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 20(4), 34-42.
Chomitz, V. R., Slining, M. M., McGowan, R. J., Mitchell, S. E., Dawson, G. F., & Hacker, K. A. (2009). Is there a relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement? Positive results from public school children in the northeastern United States. Journal of School Health, 79(1), 30-37.
Demir, G. T., Cicioğlu, H. İ., İlhan, E. L., & Arslan, Ö. (2017). Sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının beden eğitimi dersine yönelik tutumları. Uluslararası Spor, Egzersiz ve Antrenman Bilimi Dergisi, 3(4), 120-128.
Demirhan, G., Bulca, Y., Saçlı, F., & Kangalgil, M. (2014). Beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin uygulamada karşılaştıkları sorunlar ve çözüm önerileri. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 29(29-2), 57-68.
Engstrom, D. (1999). Correlations between teacher behaviors and student evaluations in college level physical education activity courses. Physical Educator, 56(2), 105-113.
Gordon, B., Dyson, B., Cowan, J., McKenzie, A., & Shulruf, B. (2016).
Teachers’ perceptions of physical education in Aotearoa/New Zealand primary schools. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 51(1), 99-111.
Graham, G. (2008). Children’s and adults’ perceptions of elementary school physical education. Elementary School Journal, 108(3), 241–249. DOI: 10.1086/529106.
Haible, S., Volk, C., Demetriou, Y., Höner, O., Thiel, A., Trautwein, U., & Sudeck, G. (2019). Promotion of physical activity-related health competence in physical education: study protocol for the GEKOS cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6686-4.
Hardman, K. (2008). Physical education in schools: A Global Perspective. Kinesiology: International Journal of Fundamental and Applied Kinesiology, 40(1), 5-28.
Hayes, S., Capel, S., Katene, W., & Cook, P. (2008). An examination of knowledge prioritisation in secondary physical education teacher education courses. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(2), 330–342.
Jung, H., Pope, S., & Kirk, D. (2016) Policy for physical education and school sport in England, 2003–2010: Vested interests and dominant discourses. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 21(5), 501-516, DOI: 10.1080/17408989.2015.1050661.
Kennedy, K. J., Chan, J. K., & Fok, P. K. (2011). Holding policy- makers to account: exploring ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ policy and the implications for curriculum reform. London Review of Education, 9(1), 41–54.
Kim, M., Cardinal, B. J., & Cardinal, M. K. (2015). Diversifying physical activity course curricula to meet institutional expectations and satisfy student needs in higher education: An introductory framework. The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 86(9), 5–8.
Kirkham-King, M., Brusseau, T. A., Hannon, J. C., Castelli, D. M., Hilton, K., & Burns, R. D. (2017). Elementary physical education: a focus on fitness activities and smaller class sizes are associated with higher levels of physical activity. Preventive Medicine Reports, 8, 135-139.
Kohl III, H. W., & Cook, H. D. (2013). Educating the student body: Taking physical activity and physical education to school. Washington: National Academies Press.
Kristiansen, E., & Houlihan, B. (2017). Developing young athletes: The role of private sport schools in the Norwegian sport system. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 52(4), 447-469.
Lund, S. (2014). Regulation and deregulation in education policy: new reforms and school sports in Swedish upper secondary education. Sport, Education and Society, 19(3), 241-257, DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2012.664127.
Mamak, H. (2012). İlköğretim okullarında beden eğitimi ve spor derslerinin amaçlarına ulaşma düzeyini etkileyen faktörler. Selçuk Üniversitesi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilim Dergisi, 14(1), 109-115.
Marinsek, M., & Kovac, M. (2018). Beliefs of Slovenian early childhood educators regarding the implementation of physical education. European Physical Education Review, DOI: https:// doi.org/10.1177/1356336X18761538.
McKenzie, T. L ., & Lounsbery, M. A. (2009). School physical education: The pill not taken. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 3(3), 219-225.
Mercier, K., Donovan, C., Gibbone, A., & Rozga, K. (2017). Three-year study of students’ attitudes toward physical education: Grades 4-8. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 88(3), 307–315. DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2017.1339862.
Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. London: Sage Publication.
Ministry of National Education [MoNE] (2018a). Beden eğitimi ve oyun dersiöğretimprogrami(İlkokul1,2,3ve4.sınıflar).Retrievedfrom http://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/20181023115223781- 06-Beden%20E%C4%9Ftimi%20ve%20Oyun%202018-124%20 Eki%20%C3%96P.pdf.pdf.
Ministry of National Education [MoNE] (2018b). Beden eğitimi ve oyun dersi öğretim programi (İlkokul 1, 2, 3 ve 4. sınıflar). Retrieved from http://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/2018120201950145- BEDEN%20EGITIMI%20VE%20SPOR%20OGRETIM%20 PROGRAM%202018.pdf.
Mohammed, H. R. A., & Mohammad, M. A. (2012). Students’ opinions and attitudes towards physical education classes in Kuwait public schools. College Student Journal, 46(3), 550–566.
Morrow Jr, J. R., Martin, S. B., Welk, G. J., Zhu, W., & Meredith, M. D. (2010). Overview of the Texas youth fitness study. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 81(3), S1-S5.
Nisskaya, A. K. (2018). What modern parents think about preschool education: What makes a preschool attractive? Ru ssian Education & Society, 60 (7), 601– 622 . DOI: 10.1080/10609393.2018.1527165.
Oh, J., & Graber, K. C. (2019). Physical education teacher education leaders’ perceptions on a national curriculum in physical education. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 90(3), 362–376. DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2019.1603988.
Osborne, R., Belmont, R. S., Peixoto, R. P., Azevedo, I. O. S. D., & Carvalho, A. F. P. D. (2016). Obstacles for physical education teachers in public schools: An unsustainable situation. Motriz: Revista de Educação Física, 22, 0310-0318.
Pehlivan, Z., Dönmez, B., & Yaşat, H. (2005). Sınıf öğretmenlerinin beden eğitimi dersine yönelik görüşleri. Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 10(3), 51-62.
Penney, D. (2017). Big policies and a small world: An analysis of policy problems and solutions in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 22(5), 569-585, DOI:10.1080/1357332 2.2016.1242066.
Penney, D. (2017). Big policies and a small world: an analysis of policy problems and solutions in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 22(5), 569-585.
Phillips, S., & Silverman, S. (2015). Upper elementary school student attitudes toward physical education. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 34(3). 461–473. DOI: 10.1123/jtpe.2014- 0022.
Plano Clark, V. L., & Creswell, J. W. (2014). Understanding research: A Consumer’s guide. Boston: Pearson.
Sağın, A. E., & Karabulut, Ö. (2019). Beden eğitimi ve spor dersine yönelik ortaokul öğrencilerinin değer düzeylerinin incelenmesi: Bağcılar ilçesi örneği. Uluslararası Dağcılık ve Tırmanış Dergisi, 2(2), 27-34.
Saldaña, J. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage. Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Beets, M. W. & Beighle A. (2012).
Physical education’s role in public health. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 83(2), 125-135, DOI: 10.1080/ 02701367.2012.10599842.
Schlecty, P. (2015). Understanding the normative system. In Grogan M. (Ed.). The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership (pp.221-237). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Simmons, J., & MacLean, J. (2018). Physical education teachers’ perceptions of factors that inhibit and facilitate the enactment of curriculum change in a high-stakes exam climate. Sport, Education and Society, 23(2), 186-202.
Smith, A. (2015). Primary school physical education and sports coaches: Evidence from a study of school sport partnerships in North-West England. Sport, Education and Society, 20(7), 872-888. DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2013.847412
Stylianou, M., Hogan, A., & Enright, E. (2019). Youth sport policy: The enactment and possibilities of ‘soft policy’ in schools. Sport, Education and Society, 24(2), 182-194, DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2017.1339685.
Talim Terbiye Kurulu Başkanlığı (2018). Haftalık ders çizelgeleri. Retrieved from https://ttkb.meb.gov.tr/www/haftalik-ders- cizelgeleri/kategori/7.
Tercedor, P., Villa-González, E., Ávila-García, M., Díaz-Piedra, C., Martínez-Baena, A., Soriano-Maldonado, A., ... & Huertas- Delgado, F. J. (2017). A school-based physical activity promotion intervention in children: Rationale and study protocol for the PREVIENE Project. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 1-10.
Tutal, V. (2014). Okul yöneticilerinin beden eğitimi dersine ilişkin tutumlarının bazı değişkenlere göre incelenmesi. Retrieved from http://openaccess.inonu.edu.tr:8080/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/11616/5148/Tez%20Dosyas%C4%B1.pdf? sequence=1&isAllowed=y
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2010). Healthy
People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/document/pdf/ uih/2010uih.pdf.
Valverde, G. A., Bianchi, L. J., Wolfe, R. G., Schmidt, W. H., & Houang, R. T. (2002). According to the book: Using TIMSS to investigate the translation of policy into practice through the world of textbooks. Springer Science & Business Media.
Zeng, H. Z., & Wang, X. (2015). Exploring principals’ physical education perceptions and views from elementary and middle schools of Shanghai. World Journal of Education, 5(6), 37–49.