| 1. |
- Kougioumtzis, Konstantin, 1966, et al.
(författare)
-
The content of Physical Education in Sweden and South Africa
- 2012
-
Ingår i: European Congress of Sport Science (ECSS).
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction The aim of this study is to highlight physical education (PE) content in Swedish and South African schools utilizing nation-wide stratified random samples of pupils in each country. Methods A questionnaire has been developed measuring health promotion, social development, personal development, as well as physical development and movement. The questionnaire was administered to pupils in primary and lower secondary school. The final sample consisted of 2.495 Swedish and 3.748 South African individuals. The answers of Swedish (SWE) and South African (SAF) pupils have been analyzed using ANOVA. Results In relation to health promotion, pupils’ awareness of health related benefits of physical activity was higher in South Africa than in Sweden, MSAF=4.28(.77), MSWE=3.93(.98), F(1,6136)=253.9, p<.05. Regarding social development, South African pupils reported socialization effects connected to PE to a higher degree than Swedish pupils did, MSAF=4.18(.98), MSWE=3.74(.92), F(1,6092)=307.0, p<.05. In terms of personal development, Swedish pupils reported a more positive climate during PE classes than South African learners did, MSWE=3.73(.94), MSAF=3.67(1.15), F(1,6093)=4.7, p<.05. As far as physical development and movement are concerned, Swedish pupils reported that they like and enjoy a spectrum of physical activities that was broader than that reported by South African pupils, MSWE=3.44(1.00), MSAF=3.22(.92), F(1,6138)=79.9, p<.05. Discussion Health promotion and social development are characterizing PE content in South Africa to a higher degree than in Sweden. This is in line with the fact that South African PE is part of the Life Orientation learning area (Van Deventer, 2009). On the contrary, personal development as well as physical development and movement are more evident in Swedish than in South African schools. This is in line with the strong connections between PE and physical activity in Sweden as well as the distinct efforts to empower pupils on the basis of their own capabilities and aspirations. References Toriola A, Patriksson G, Amusa L, Kougioumzis K (2010). AJPERD, 16, 327-345. Van Deventer K, (2009). SAJE, 29, 127-145.
|
|
| 2. |
- Toriola, Abel,, et al.
(författare)
-
Physical Education as a tool for developing health and social skills : Results of a pilot study in South Africa and Sweden.
- 2010
-
Ingår i: African Journal of Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance. ; 16:3, s. 327-342
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A cooperation project on school physical education (PE) was established between the Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The project was funded as part of the international cooperation agreement between South Africa and Sweden. The aim of the project was to investigate discrepancies between intended subscription and actual provision for PE/Life Orientation (LO) in Swedish and South African schools. Presented in this paper are results of the pilot study on the comparative research project which focused on PE as a tool for developing health and social skills among Swedish and South African school children. A major objective of the project was to investigate how provision for PE is defined in formal school settings in both countries. To answer the question we constructed a 23-item questionnaire measuring PE provision and children’s attitudes towards the subject in primary and lower secondary schools. A questionnaire was constructed utilizing a) participant observations of lessons in Sweden and South Africa, b) semi-structured interviews with school principals and PE teachers in both countries, and c) analyses of policy documents in each country. The pilot instrument consisted of four batteries of questions: a) Health promotion (8 items), b) Social development (8 items), c) Personal development (10 items), and d) Physical development and movement (6 items). The questionnaire was developed in two almost identical versions and was completed by primary school pupils in South Africa (n =105) and Sweden (n = 42). In order to improve the reliability and the construct validity of the questionnaire we modified the pilot versions of the questionnaire eliminating poorly fit items item using various statistical techniques. Pupils’ answers to the questionnaire were analyzed mainly through structural equation modeling techniques (AMOS). This technique facilitates the simultaneous analysis of the robustness of the whole instrument and the test of each battery of questions. The statistical analyses were aimed at designing a questionnaire with very good fit indices for Swedish and South African contexts. Results yielded substantial Cronbach’s α: whole instrument (α=.84); Health promotion (α=60), Social development (α=60), Personal development (α=79), Physical development (α=76), which showed acceptable reliability estimates for the questionnaire subscales.
|
|
