Betrokkenheid as 'n bepaler van houding jeens liggaamlike opvoeding

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine people's attitude towards Physical Education in schools. Different opinions regarding Physical Education were surveyed, using the following control groups: people involved and not involved in Physical Education; older and younger people. Interaction between the four groups was observed. A questionnaire applicable to national service men, students, Physical Education students, Physical Education lecturers, Biokinetics trainees and people not at all involved in Physical Education or training was compiled. Of the 1 800 questionnaires distributed 691 were returned. The attitudes of respondents were predominantly positive. The knowledgeability of Physical Education teachers received the highest positive response but their liaison with parents and their diligence evoked the least positive response. All the respondents nominated fitness as the most important aim of Physical Education. Knowledge and insight were also very highly assessed, while clarity and profundity evoked less favourable reaction. It seems that too little scientific background is provided for the practical activities in Physical Education. When accidentally mentioned during explanations of practical activities, the scientific theories are seldom evaluated or tested, which results in pupils believing that the scientific knowledge behind practical activities is unnecessary. Information in the Physical Education syllabus strengthens the idea that respondents believe that there are shortcomings in the content of the subject because the syllabus was voted achievable but not wonderful (perfect, exciting or all inclusive). The response on questions dealing with attitudes towards Physical Education was, with the exception of one control person, always more positive from people involved in Physical Education and in fifty per cent of the questions the differences were significant. On the question whether physical activity was important, the response from respondents not involved in Physical Education was more positive than the response from respondents involved in Physical Education. This phenomenon gives credence to the statement that people's actions often do not correlate with their attitudes. Based on the above, one can assume that a person with a positive attitude would not necessarily act in the best interest (positively) of Physical Education, which would, if this could be said of people in key positions in Physical Education, be a reason for the existing desperate situation of Physical Education in schools.