Didactics of Physical Education: The Case of Motivational Students Profiles in Pole Vaulting Performance

Chawki Derbali,Ali Elloumi,Fathi Matoussi

doi:10.4236/ce.2015.612136

Abstract

This work attempts to determine the students’ motivation in physical education area through analyzed clusters. As a particular topic in Tunisia we highlight the relationship between motiva-tional profiles and the students’ performance in pole vaulting. For this, three grades’ students (37 girls, 32 boys) from randomly selected sport-studies classes provided data questionnaire (SMS-II adapted; Pellier et al., 2013) on motivation levels and their pole vaulting performance achieve-ment. This was evaluated using a pre-and post-assessment design of 7-weeks pole vault teaching. Obtained results concern the reliability and the validity of the sport motivation scales questionnaire. Cluster analyses revealed two motivational profiles: non-self-determined and self-deter-mined levels of motivation. The self-determined motivation profile was correlated to the highest pole vault performance. The theoretical and practical implications for the measurement of stu-dents’ motivation in pole vault practice are discussed. The effects of motivational profiles on stu-dents’ pole vault achievement are perceived.

Highlights

Motivation is one of the important controlling factors in physical education
The correlations between the variables appear to be in conformity with a simplex structured matrix, while we found some deviations from this presumed pattern
This work provides preliminary indicators regarding the specific forms of motivation which might be involved in students sport performance

Summary

Introduction

Motivation is one of the important controlling factors in physical education. Previous works stated that practice of sport in physical education (PE) may affect students’ motivation considering its potential to provide expe-How to cite this paper: Derbali, C., Elloumi, A., & Matoussi, F. (2015). Didactics of Physical Education: The Case of Motivational Students Profiles in Pole Vaulting Performance. The increase of athletic performance and the need to produce well-educated citizens encourage to study students’ motivation profiles with the integration of new performance sports in physical education setting. Our study is based on self-determination theory (SDT) This is an organismic dialectical approach that starts on the assumption that people have active organisms, with developed tendencies towards growing, mastering ambient challenges, and integrating new experiences into a coherent sense of self. Organismic Integration Theory (OIT) concerns the topic of extrinsic motivation in its various forms, with their properties, determinants, and consequences. It highlights supports for autonomy and relatedness as critical to internalization. Satisfying individuals’ psychological needs has been positively linked to performance and quality of adjustment in the workplace (Baard, Deci, & Ryan, 2004), psychological well-being in exercise contexts (Wilson, Longley, Muon, Rodgers, & Murray, 2006), and lower burnout in athletes (Lonsdale, Hodge, & Rose, 2008)

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Discussion

Conclusion