european college of sport science

OP-SO03 Sociology 3
Method: The study is divided in two parts; one quantitative looking at the development of grades in PE over a seven years period and
comparing grades given in the municipal schools with those given in the independent schools, and one qualitative in which we conducted
semi-structured interviews with 20 PE teachers about which aspects they discern in assessing students.
Findings: The study shows significant changes towards giving higher grades in PE. However, this slide towards higher grades can also
be seen in other subjects and it seems as if assessment in PE is not significantly different from assessment in other subjects. Furthermore,
grades given in the independent schools are significantly higher than those given in the municipal schools.
There is also considerable discrepancy between schools. This can partly be explained by differences in socio-cultural capital, but there
are also great differences between teachers in the same school that can only be explained by different approaches to grading and to
what and how they assess their students.
The teachers mean that they were not properly informed about why they should formulate assessment criteria and how to do it and they
were given very little in-service training regarding assessment. They also claim that guidance given from the national authorities were
indistinct, unclear and somewhat difficult to understand.
Due to the lack of guidance and support, other ways of assessing have been developed locally, sometimes concealed and contrary to
the national directions. Furthermore, there seems to be combinations of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced principles in use. Even
personal criteria, or what can be labelled as “gut-feeling”, sometimes determine the outcome of assessment in PE. The data also indicate
that the teachers make judgements about students´ level of achievement without explicit reference to the national criteria in PE or even to
the schools´ “local work plans” and “local grading criteria”. The following is assessed in PE: presence, effort, social capability, leadership
skills, skill in physical activities and sport as well as knowledge about PE.
Many years after the change in grading systems, assessment of students does not seem to occur in line with the intentions of the reform.
The criteria are not always openly stated by the teachers and therefore not accessible to the students. Thus, there still seems to be many
problems in reaching fair and equivalent grading of students in Swedish PE.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS ATTITUDES TOWARDS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
HERNÁNDEZ VÁZQUEZ, J., BOFILL RÓDENAS, A., NIORT, J.
INSTITUT NACIONAL D'EDUCACIÓ FÍSICA DE CATALUNYA
Introduction: The political model of educative inclusion in Spain emphasizes the external resources and ignores the training of the ordinary
teaching staff dealing with special educative needs students, being the teaching staff formation an aspect that needs improvement.
Methods: The final purpose of this study is to develop the degree formation and lifelong learning of the teaching staff in physical education
dealing with attention to the diversity by having the physical education teachers (n=59) at secondary school, in Barcelona, to answer
and complete a questionnaire as regards the intervention of the teaching staff in the classroom with this kind of students. Concretely, the
self-perception of the teachers with special educative needs students regarding their performance as professors.
Results: The results show a complex situation among the teaching staff, perceiving a lack of resources to optimize their competence with
the pupils with special educational needs. Also an improvement of the formation and the attitudes of the teaching staff of physical education
is required in order to take care of the attention at the diversity.
Discussion: The study describes a social and educational profile as regards the situation of the teaching staff related to the pupils with
special educational needs. It is necessary to stand out that one of the objectives of the current educative legislation is the attention to the
students with special educational needs. More resources and a training of the teaching staff working at the ordinary educative schools
focused a initial formation but also a longlife learning to take care of the diversity is needed. From the knowledge and the data obtained
we can improve the programs of degree formation and longlife learning.
References
Bryant, L. G., & Curtner-Smith, M. D. (2008), Impact of a physical education teacher’s disability on elementary pupils’ perceptions of effectiveness
and learning. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 25, 118.
Dunn, N., Shields, N., Taylor, N. F., & Dodd, K. J. (2007). A systematic review of the self-concept of children with cerebral palsy and perceptions
of parents and teachers. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 27(3), 55-71.
Folsom-Meek, S. L., & Rizzo, T. L. (2002), Validating the physical educators’ attitude toward teaching individuals with disabilities III (PEATID
III). Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 19, 141-154.
Koka, A., Hein, V. S., Meegan, A., MacPhail, A., & Avramidis, E. (2006). Perceptions of teachers’ positive feedback and perceived threat to
sense of self in physical education: A longitudinal study. European Physical Education Review, 12(2), 165-179.
Kudláèek, M., Válková, H., Sherrill, C., Myers, B., & French, R. (2002), An inclusion instrument based on planned behavior theory for prospective
physical educators. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 19, 280-299.
15:15 - 16:45
Oral presentations
OP-SO03 Sociology 3
SPORTS PARTICIPATION FROM ADOLESCENCE TO MIDDLE AGE - A 38-YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY
ENGSTRÖM, L.M.
STOCKHOLM UNIVERSITY
Many studies have found that there is a low to moderate association between exercise during adolescence and exercise habits in adulthood.
A question that arises from these earlier studies, with a follow-up period of about 5 to 20 years, is how children’s and adolescents’
physical activity affects their inclination to exercise later in life, after the age of 50, e.g. after a follow-up period of almost 40 years.
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ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF SPORT SCIENCE