Teachers perceptions about physical education: a typology

Background: Schools and Physical Education (PE) are recognised as important contexts for promoting active lifestyles. According to the socio-ecological model of PE (O’Connor, 2012), a shared vision and sustained... [ view full abstract ]

Background: Schools and Physical Education (PE) are recognised as important contexts for promoting active lifestyles. According to the socio-ecological model of PE (O’Connor, 2012), a shared vision and sustained collaboration among school community members is required for this process to be successful. Considering that little is known about the role that other subject teachers assume regarding PE, the purpose of this study was to analyse their perceptions about de value and the aims of PE in the school curriculum.

Methods: 297 teachers answered a questionnaire (Carreiro da Costa & Marques, 2011) about: past experience in PE, opinion about PE status and aims, relationship between physical activity (PA) and academic performance (AP), knowledge of PA guidelines. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) in articulation with analysis of clusters was used to identify teachers’ profiles.

Results: Profile 1 was characterized by considering that: PA does not affect AP, PE must be optional, PE promotes learning about sports, and a neutral past experience in PE. Profile 2 was mainly composed by teachers who have had very good experiences in PE, associated with the idea that the promotion of good morals is the aim of PE, PE should be compulsory and examinable, and that PA benefits AP. Profile 3 refers to teachers who had bad PE experiences, considerer that PA negatively affects AP, state that PE could be compulsory but non-examinable, and judge PE as a way of catharsis. All profiles identify PE as important for promoting healthy lifestyles.

Conclusions: These results support the significance of the earliest good experiences in PE to generate attitudes that value PE. PE is still a peripheral subject in schools. PE teachers in addition to their work in classes should be able to function in the school with other subject teachers, advocating the importance of PE among school community members.