Physical Education Learning Environment Research Articles

Research on the integrated solution of physical education based on smart campus.

To improve the physical education experience for students, this study investigates the idea of an integrated solution based on a smart campus for physical education. Within the physical education curriculum, the study focuses on the integration of smart fitness monitoring and wearables, interactive fitness equipment and gamification, mobile applications and customized workout plans, smart facilities, indoor navigation, and data-driven curriculum enhancements. The data gathered from a study involving two groups of students, an experimental group with access to smart campus solutions and a control group without such access, was analyzed using an organized and component-based framework. The data study looks at how the smart campus solutions affect the students' academic performance, fitness levels, motivation, and adherence to exercise regimens. The analyzed findings point to a few advantages of using smart campus technologies in physical education. Compared to the control group, students in the experimental group showed higher levels of academic performance, increased motivation, improved exercise adherence, and fitness. Students who had access to smart campus solutions reported much better experiences with physical education overall. The results imply that smart campus technologies have the potential to produce a physical education learning environment that is more interesting, focused on the needs of the students, and effective. Smart campus solutions help optimize curriculum design, boost motivation, and enhance academic performance by utilizing data-driven insights and personalized learning experiences.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study investigates the idea of an integrated solution based on a smart campus for physical education. Within the physical education curriculum, the study focuses on the integration of smart fitness monitoring and wearables, interactive fitness equipment and gamification, mobile applications and customized workout plans, smart facilities, indoor navigation, and data-driven curriculum enhancements.

Encouraging Students to Co-Construct and Co- and Self-Regulate Their Learning Within a Cooperative Learning Environment in Physical Education

Purpose: Improving students’ learning is dependent on students’ participation, meaningfulness, and value of the teaching–learning process. This study explores students’ learning experiences when undertaking the role of co-constructors and co- and self-regulators in a cooperative learning environment. Methods: The study included 110 school students aged between 15 and 18 years from four physical education preservice teachers’ classes. Data were collected through student focus group interviews, a postteaching units’ survey, students’ class reflections, and the researcher’s field notes. Results/Discussion: Data report that (a) having access to learning goals and assessment criteria was essential for the co-construction and co- and self-regulation processes, (b) there is a positive reciprocal relationship between students’ involvement in co-construction and co- and self-regulations, and (c) co-construction and co- and self-regulations were strengthened by students’ involvement in cooperative learning and vice versa.

The Value Meaning and Development Strategy of Physical Education Teaching in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

As an important component of the education system, school physical education has entered a period of rapid development driven by strategies such as "Healthy China", "Education Power", and "Sports Power". With the emergence of ChatGPT, the current discussion about artificial intelligence promoting educational change has become increasingly intense. This paper proposes that the rapid development of artificial intelligence has triggered systematic changes in the field of education, promoting the internal renewal and reconstruction of the education system. As an important component of the education field, school physical education is also deeply influenced by it. Artificial intelligence not only has a profound impact on educational elements such as physical education curriculum content, teaching methods, learning evaluation and management, but also on the physical education learning environment, including physical education teaching venues, equipment and facilities.

Learning Environment, Motivation, and Challenges of Junior High Students under Physical Education Modular Instruction

Aims: This paper described the availability of students’ learning environment in physical education under modular instruction in terms of exercise and dance in a public school in Negros Occidental, Philippines during the school year 2021-2022 when they were taken as a whole and grouped according to sex, parents' highest educational attainment, and family income. Likewise, it described their learning motivation both intrinsic and extrinsic. Lastly, it described their challenges in environment, content, teacher, learner, and technology.
 Study Design: The study utilized the quantitative design particularly the descriptive approach.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted among the students of a public school in Negros Occidental, Philippines during the school year 2021-2022.
 Methodology: Using the validated and reliability tested questionnaires, the study was responded by 264 grade 10 students determined through stratified random sampling. The instrument was assessed using the scale: 1-strongly disagree, 2-disagree, 3-neutral, 4-agree, and 5-strongly agree. In terms of data analysis, mean and standard deviation were utilized to describe the three constructs.
 Results: The students’ availability of learning environment facilities in physical education under modular instruction in terms of exercise (M=3.93; SD=0.52) is rated with agreeable result. In the availability of learning environment facilities relative to dance (M=3.88; SD=0.63), it was rated with agreeable result. Finally, the overall availability of learning environment facilities (M=3.91; SD=0.53) in physical education under modular instruction is rated with agreeable result. Meanwhile, the students’ intrinsic motivation (M=4.30; SD=0.60) is rated strongly agree. Their extrinsic motivation (M=4.09; SD=0.67) in physical education is rated agree. Finally, the overall students’ learning motivation (M=4.19; SD=0.60) in physical education is rated with agreeable result. The students’ challenges in learning physical education (M=3.31; SD=0.84) is rated neutral. The top challenge is the students’ difficulty in understanding the lessons in dance (M=3.69; SD=0.96) with agreeable result. The least challenge is on the students’ existing health conditions and diseases (M=2.29; SD=1.27) with disagreeable result.
 Conclusion: The success of physical education modular instruction highly depends on the availability of environment facilities as manifested by the favorable space and adequate learning resources. Also, when the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are in place, quality physical education instruction is guaranteed.

중국 호남성 중학생의 지각된 체육수업환경과 수업만족의 관계

The purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between Physical Education learning environment and class satisfaction of middle school students. To accomplish the goal, middle school students from Hunan Province, China were recruited via the convenience sampling method. Collected data were analyzed by frequency analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis with Win SAS Ver. 9.4. The results of the study are as follows. First, all of the sub factors of perceived Physical Education learning environment, such as perceived challenge, perceived threatening, perceived competition, and perceived control, had a positive effect on mastery experience of class satisfaction. And as perceived challenge, perceived competition, perceived control had a positive influence on cognitive development, interaction, health and enjoyment, and vigor and relaxation while perceived competition and perceived control had a positive effect on the normative success.

MEDIATING EFFECT OF TEACHER ATTITUDE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND PERCEIVED WELLBEING OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS

The aim of this study was to determine the mediating effect of teacher attitude towards a physical education learning environment and the perceived well-being of public school teachers. Utilizing quantitative, non-experimental design via correlational technique, data were obtained from 340 respondents of the study who are teachers in Physical Education in public schools (elementary and secondary) in Matanao, Bansalan and Magsaysay (MABAMA), Davao del Sur. The researcher utilized the total population technique and survey mode of data collection. The researcher also utilized the statistical tools mean, Pearson r, and for the mediation approach Medgraph using Sobel z-test. From the results of the study, it was found out that there is a high level of mean scores for all variables of learning environment, teacher attitude, and perceived well-being of public school teachers. Also, results revealed that there are significant relationships between learning environment and perceived well-being, between learning environment and teacher attitude, and between teacher attitude and perceived well-being of public school teachers. Further, it was revealed that there was a partial mediation on the effect of teacher attitude on the relationship between learning environment and perceived well-being of public school teachers. This implies that the learning environment conveys a good teacher attitude.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0906/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Perceived Safety of Learning Environment and Associated Anxiety Factors during COVID-19 in Ghana: Evidence from Physical Education Practical-Oriented Program.

The outbreak of COVID-19 led to the swift migration to alternate instructional delivery models and pedagogical practices in educational institutions. This study examined the perceived safety of the learning environment and associated anxiety factors among physical education students amidst COVID-19. Using a cross-sectional design, a sample of 638 students drawn purposively and conveniently from a public university in Ghana completed a self-developed questionnaire. Frequency counts, percentages, and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Findings of the study showed that students perceived the practical lesson environment as unsafe, with self-reported moderate to high levels of anxiety during their practical lessons. The ordered logistic regression results revealed that varied factors such as age, COVID-19 information platforms, certainty about personal safety, and adequacy of preparation to manage COVID-19 cases were associated with anxiety. The study concluded that an unsafe practical physical education learning environment increases the anxiety levels of students. Academic departments/units should provide periodic interventions (e.g., positive self-talk, mental rehearsal, cognitive restructuring) and counseling services for students amidst the ongoing pandemic to help moderate situational-specific anxiety. In addition, key to the management of students’ anxiety is the provision of a safe and supportive school environment, including the provision of adequate personal protective equipment for practical lessons by school authorities.

Effect of the Perceived Physical Education Learning Environment on Learning Orientations and Attitude toward Physical Education of Middle School Students in the Physical Education Classes

목적 이 연구는 체육수업에서 학습환경이 중학생의 학습성향 및 체육태도에 미치는 영향을 규명하는데 목적이 있다. 방법 연구대상은 G시에 소재한 혼성중학교 2개교를 임의로 선정하여 할당표집방법에 의해 360명(남학생 180명, 여학생 180명)의 표본을 추출하였다. 추출한 표본 중에서 324명의 자료를 최종적으로 실제분석에 이용하였다. 이 연구에 이용한 연구도구는 연구대상의 일반적 특성, 학습환경, 학습성향, 체육태도의 검사지를 활용하여 설문지를 구성하였다. 자료분석은 요인분석, 신뢰도분석, 상관분석, 회귀분석을 통해 분석하였다. 결과 이 연구의 분석결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 학습환경의 도전지각 환경은 공동체 의식에 정적 영향을 준다. 그리고 도전지각 환경과 유능지각 환경은 협력학습에 정적 영향을 준다. 둘째, 도전지각 환경은 즐거움에 정적 영향을 준다. 그리고 도전지각 환경은 유용성에 정적 영향을 주는 반면에, 위협지각 환경은 유용성에 부적 영향을 준다. 결론 이 연구에서는 체육수업에서 지각한 학습환경은 학생의 학습성향과 체육태도에 부분적으로 역할을 하고 있음을 시사하고 있다.

Neuroscience-based Physical Education Learning Environment: An Analysis

This research is part of the research and development phase conducted by researchers. The purpose of this study is to describe the physical education learning environment by integrating the neuroscience concept. The method used in this research is literature study and survey with the following steps, 1) conducting a theoretical study and related principles, 2) analyzing learning (including analysis of learning tools to its implementation), and 3) describing the findings. The subjects in this study were grade 3 elementary school physical education teachers in Jakarta. The instrument used was developed by the researcher according to the needs consisting of four indicators, namely, the teacher's teaching style, student learning styles, the integration of neuroscience in learning, and learning support facilities. Literature study data were analyzed using a normative approach while survey data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results obtained are that there are four main principles of neuroscience learning, namely 1) multi-tasking, 2) modeling, 3) fun, 4) sequential. Meanwhile, field findings show that teachers have unconsciously integrated neuroscience in learning, but have never seriously and specifically designed their learning according to the principles of neuroscience-based learning. Researchers suggest developing a neuroscience-based physical education learning model that is based on the found neuroscience learning principles.

Exploring Future Research in Adapted Physical Education

ABSTRACT Quality physical education can play a critical role in helping students become more active, physically literate, and develop the skills and interests to remain physically active throughout their lives. The healthy, physically active student is more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful in school. Unfortunately, findings from multiple studies interviewing students with disabilities suggest that students with disabilities are often less active and feel more socially separated from the class compared to their classmates without disabilities in general physical education. Clearly, more research is needed to identify best practices or strategies for creating a positive learning environment in physical education for all students. This paper examines future research considerations based on what we currently know about the physical education experiences and concerns of students with disabilities as well as concerns voiced by general physical educators. Considerations include: (1) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show students with 3 disabilities are receiving appropriate physical education whether included or in a separate setting? (2) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that physical educators are properly trained and qualified to provide physical education to students with disabilities? (3) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that particular curricular and teaching models are effective when including students with disabilities in general physical education and when working in small groups or one-on-one? (4) What evidence do we have and what evidence do we need to show that students with disabilities are socially part of the class and not simply physically present.

Can Exergames Use As an Educational Tool in Physical Education for Cognitive, Social, and Affective Domains?

The rapid growth of children's interest in the digital world leads educators to use this interest to meet learning outcomes. In this respect, the use of computer-based simulations and video games as educational tools is a necessity rather than an innovative method for educators. In recent years, school-based physical activity (PA) programs based on active video games/exergames (EG) have begun to be implemented. The aim of this review was to investigate the effects of EG as an educational tool in physical education (PE) lessons in terms of children's social, affective, and cognitive domains. The literature obtained by researching in Pubmed, Uludağ E-Library and Google Academic databases without date limitation was examined with systematic review methodology. In conclusion, EG creates the potential to have a positive impact on social, cognitive and affective domain skills such as PA perception, collaboration, leadership, self-management, motor learning, memory, awareness and peer learning. Even if EG alone does not replace a teacher or a lesson, it can enrich the learning environment in PE. EG can be not only an important source of motivation for active participation in PE lessons for children but also an effective educational tool for the teacher. Keywords: Active Video Games, Exergames, Physical Education Special Issue of Educational Sciences DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-06-11

Verification of Mediated Effect of Athletic Ability Beliefs in the Relations between Learning Environments Perceived in the Physical Education (PE) Class and Task Persistence

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to inquire into the mediated effect of athletic ability beliefs in the relations between the PE learning environments perceived in the PE class and task persistence. Methods/Statistical Analysis: To achieve such a research purpose, this study selected a total of 418 copies as final valid sample using convenience sampling of junior high school students at the five schools located in a metropolitan area. As for data processing, this study implemented hypothesis testing after confirming the goodness of fit test of the whole model using SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 18.0. Findings: First, effort and challenge perception in PE learning environment was confirmed to have a positive influence on increased beliefs while competence perception was found to have a negative influence on fixed beliefs and threat perception was found to have a positive influence on entity belief. Second, it was found that increased beliefs in athletic ability beliefs had a significant influence on task persistence positively while entity belief didn’t have a significant influence on task persistence. Third, it was found that effort, challenge perception, and competence perception of learning environment had a positive influence on task persistence. Lastly, it was confirmed that increased beliefs in the relations between effort, challenge perception and task persistence of learning environment play a mediating role. Improvements/Applications: This study confirmed that students’ aggressive class participation behavior calls for the learning environment, which is challenging, and makes it possible for students to put in a great deal of effort for their learning process, and a positive belief and volition that students themselves can do it in the results of this research.

The Development of the Network Examination for Student Socialization (NEXSS) Observational Instrument

The complexity of learning has plagued the educational establishment for decades. Recently, ideas of complexity theory and complex adaptive systems have made headway in how we think of institutions of learning. This study developed and tested an instrument for the modeling of underlying social structures, as an element of complexity, within the physical education learning environment. Currently, there are no instruments capable of producing valid and reliable models of underlying student social networks in physical education classes. This study sought to develop and test one of the first instruments for the explicit purpose of this modeling. The Network Examination for Student Socialization was developed as a product of this effort. Testing demonstrated the Network Examination for Student Socialization is both a reliable and valid instrument for modeling underlying student social structures within physical education classes. It is hoped that in years to come, the Network Examination for Student Socialization can play a key role in the study of complexity within physical education.

Student’s Voice Online: Experiences of PE in Finnish Schools

The aim of this descriptive study was to find out how people describe their experiences of physical education (PE) in Internet discussion forums. The data for this study were collected during one randomly chosen week in April 2007 via a GoogleTM search using the Finnish word ‘koululiikunta’ [school PE]. The first 200 hits lead into nine discussion forums, which were analysed by using qualitative content analysis. These nine discussion forums included all together 356 messages. For searching these discussion forums no criteria about the writers’ age, race, class, gender or other were set. The messages were coded with sequential classification and grouped into positive, negative and both positive and negative messages. The results revealed that the messages were positive (12%), both (24%) and negative (64%). In the positive messages the focus was on physical education in general and the experiences were more related to the writer him/herself. In the negative messages the emphasis was on factors external to the writer. The writers’ messages, in particular where they reported negative experiences revealed strongly held feelings and emotions. We need to widen our understanding of the relationship between PE and the contents of teacher education curriculum to guarantee every pupil the opportunity to have positive experiences in PE. These, in turn, help to create a basis for life-long physical activity and a positive relation to one's body, the main target of PE. In PE one’s own body and feelings are intensively involved at a time when vivid and memorable experiences are taking place for a young person and lasting damage can easily be done. Teachers should listen to students’ voices and consider what lies behind them in order to develop PE pedagogy and a safe PE learning environment.

Implementation challenges for a constructivist physical education curriculum

Background: Curriculum fidelity describes the extent to which a curriculum is implemented faithfully as planned. Curriculum fidelity issues may arise when teachers implement the curriculum inconsistently due to differences in philosophy, barriers in the setting, or other local concerns. Purpose: The study examined challenges that a teacher faced in implementing a constructivist physical education curriculum that had fidelity implications. Research design: Ethnographic case study design was employed in the research. Participants and setting: One physical education teacher, ‘Daniel’, and his students in the third, fourth, and fifth grades participated in the study as they were involved in a curriculum intervention in a large urban school district in the US. Daniel's school was randomly assigned to an experimental group to implement a physical education curriculum based on health/fitness-related science. Data collection: The researchers observed 75 lessons taught by Daniel using non-participant observation techniques and conducted two structured interviews with Daniel and eight interviews with his students. Data analysis: Constant comparison with open and axial coding was used to analyze the observation and interview data. Findings: Two thematic challenges emerged: (1) school contextual constraints that limited the fitness science learning environment in physical education, and (2) Daniel's personal values and preference for a recreational rather than a science-based physical education program. These challenges impacted Daniel's decisions when teaching the curriculum.

Perception of Competence in Middle School Physical Education

Perception of Competence (POC) has been studied extensively in physical activity (PA) research with similar instruments adapted for physical education (PE) research. Such instruments do not account for the unique PE learning environment. Therefore, an instrument was developed and the scores validated to measure POC in middle school PE. A multiphase design was used consisting of an intensive theoretical review, elicitation study, prepilot study, pilot study, content validation study, and final validation study (N = 1,281). Data analysis included a multistep iterative process to identify the best model fit. A three-factor model for POC was tested and resulted in root mean square error of approximation = .09, root mean square residual = .07, goodness of fit index = .90, and adjusted goodness of fit index = .86 values in the acceptable range (Hu & Bentler, 1999). A two-factor model was also tested and resulted in a good fit (two-factor fit indexes values = .05, .03, .98, .97, respectively). The results of this study suggest that an instrument using a three- or two-factor model provides reliable and valid scores of POC measurement in middle school PE.

Physical self-perceptions of adolescents in Years 8, 9 and 10 in independent schools, state comprehensive schools and specialist sport colleges in England

Background: It is widely reported that adolescence is a critical period in the development of the self. Indeed many studies identify that physical self-perceptions formed at this period are able to determine engagement in and levels of physical activity. Although the investigation of physical self-perceptions in British adolescents has been undertaken in previous studies, a comparison of different school types, and differing learning environments that each affords, requires examination. Purpose: To investigate the physical self-perceptions of adolescents in order to identify if significant differences in levels of Global Self-Esteem (GSE), Physical Self-Worth (PSW) and their subordinate physical self-perceptions are apparent in these potentially different physical education environments. Participants and setting: Some 605 participants (327 male and 278 female pupils) aged 12–15 studying in Years 8, 9 and 10 at one independent school, two comprehensive schools and two specialist sports colleges in West Yorkshire, England. Intervention: Two questionnaires were administered to each participant: the Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile (CY-PSPP) and the Children and Youth Perceived Importance Profile (CY-PIP). Research design: A cross-sectional, quantitative survey. Data collection and analysis: In order to ensure pupils had been exposed to the particular physical education learning environment for a period of time, data collection took place in the penultimate month of the school year. Questionnaires were administered during physical education (PE) and games lessons to keep disruption of other areas of their timetable to a minimum with the questionnaires administered by the lead author or by a trained member of the PE department. A three-way MANOVA was employed to determine gender/year group/school type interactions. Findings: Significant differences on SPORT, CONDITION, STRENGTH and PSW (p < 0.05) were reported. Males scored significantly higher than females on all physical self-perceptions and PSW (p < 0.05). There were year differences on all physical self-perceptions (p < 0.05). Males in independent and sports colleges scored significantly higher than males in the comprehensive schools on CONDITION, BODY, STRENGTH and PSW (p < 0.05). Females in state comprehensive schools also scored significantly higher than males in state comprehensive schools on CONDITION (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The findings tend to support the widely held view that the physical self-perceptions of males are significantly higher than females, although the picture becomes increasingly complex when school type effects are taken into account. Longitudinal studies from the year of entry to the different school environments are required to identify any possible causal relationships between school type and subsequent development of GSE, PSW and its sub-domains in adolescents. It is suggested that alternative, constructivist curriculum models may have a positive effect upon the physical self-perceptions and levels of engagement within adolescence; a greater understanding of such models is particularly pertinent in light of the current QCA Review.

Perceptions of teachers’ positive feedback and perceived threat to sense of self in physical education: a longitudinal study

This study examined the direction of causal flow between perceived positive general teacher feedback and perceived threat to sense of self in physical education (PE). The stability effect and stationarity of the relationship between these variables over the two-year period was tested. Students ( N = 302) were administered questionnaire during class time in Grades 6 and 8 and two years later in Grades 8 and 10. The perceived threat to sense of self subscale from the Physical Education Learning Environment Scale (PELES), and perceived positive general feedback subscale from the Perceived Teacher’s Feedback (PTF) questionnaire were used. Results using structural equation modelling showed the high stability of perceived threat and low stability of perceived teacher feedback in PE over the two-year period, and suggest that low level of perceived threat is a significant determinant of high level of perceived positive teacher feedback. In addition, the model showed that relationship between perceived threat and perceived positive feedback within time points differed significantly over time.

Perceptions of teacher’s feedback and learning environment as predictors of intrinsic motivation in physical education

Objectives: To investigate whether the perceptions of different domains of the learning environment in physical education, such as perceived teacher feedback, perceived challenge, perceived competitiveness and perceived threat to sense of self, are related to intrinsic motivation. Method: School children (N 783; n 375 boys, n 408 girls) aged 12–15 yrs completed three questionnaires. The physical education learning environment scale (PELES) was used to investigate the perceived threat to sense of self, perceived challenge and perceived competitiveness. The perceptions of the teacher’s feedback (PTF) questionnaire was developed for this study. The construct validity of factor structure of the instrument was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Students’ intrinsic motivation was assessed by the intrinsic motivation inventory (IMI). Results: For middle school students, the most important predictors of intrinsic motivation were the perceived threat to sense of self, perceived challenge and perceived positive general feedback. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and CFA provided evidence of the adequate construct validity for the PTF and confirmed the construct validity for the PELES. Conclusion: Teachers need to create a learning environment that leads students to perceive it as nonthreatening and challenging. They should seek to provide positive general feedback to create a more stimulating learning environment.  2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between Perceived Learning Environment and Intrinsic Motivation in Middle School Physical Education

In this article, a study focusing on the perceptions and motivations of middle school students in physical education classes is described. The Physical Education Learning Environment Scale (PELES) was developed to measure student perceptions of learning environment, or class climate, in physical education on dimensions of perceived challenge, perceived threat to sense of self, perceived competitiveness, and perceived control. The PELES was administered, together with the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) to a sample (N = 622) of middle school students. Exploratory factor analyses provided evidence of adequate construct validity for the PELES, following elimination of the perceived control subscale. Multiple regression analyses indicated that perceived threat and perceived challenge predicted intrinsic motivation for both males and females. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for practicing teachers and for future research.