Evaluating Physical Education Courses in Civil Defense and Firefighting Associate Degree Programs in Turkey: Findings and Recommendations

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the physical education/sports education courses, content and practices in the curricula of Civil Defense and Firefighting associate degree programs in Turkey. Within the scope of the study, the Bologna course packages of 42 associate degree programs between 2022-2023 were examined in detail using document analysis method. According to the findings, it was determined that 14.3% (6 programs) did not include physical education courses, and 40.5% (17 programs) did not have course content for occupational physical fitness. In addition, 52.3% of the lecturers teaching the course did not have a degree in physical education and sports. The findings reveal important problems considering the requirement of high physical fitness in firefighting profession. The research emphasizes that the deficiencies in the physical education course content should be updated to meet the requirements of the firefighting profession and should be made compulsory. In this context, it is recommended to adopt a special curriculum under the name of "Occupational Physical Fitness" course and it is emphasized that this course should include the objectives of achieving high physical capacity and fitness by focusing on the basic skills of the firefighting profession. The results of the study clearly indicate that civil Defense and firefighting programs should focus on physical fitness-based education to train qualified personnel. Consideration of these recommendations may contribute to the creation of a strong and appropriate educational infrastructure in the firefighting profession.