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Pál Hamar and István Karsai : Affective characteristics of physical education among 11-18 year-olds One notable shift taking place in 21th century educational research is the growing attention to affective factors and their effects on the success of learning acitivites. Academic achievement in a given subject seems to be largely influenced by attitudes related to the subject. Among primary school pupils, physical education is preferred over theoretical subjects. Earlier findings suggest that subject attitudes differ by age and gender. The objective of this study is to examine those attitudes related to physical education which may have a decisive role in the process of learning from instruction, hypothesizing different and characteristic patterns to emerge as a function of age and gender. The sample consisted of 2840 students between the ages of 11 and 18, with a roughly equal gender distribution (1367 boys and 1473 girls). In the cross sectional study, questionnaires were administered to the subjects in the 2006/2007 academic year. Data were analysed using quantitative methods. The results confirmed the positive attitude of students regarding PE classes and school-based sport activities in this age group. However, a decreasing tendency was observed with age in the strength of this attitude. Boys show greater interest and a higher degree of acceptance for PE than girls. The four affective factors targeted in the study are correlated. In the sub-samples based on age, positive feelings related to power, self-realisation and leisure are dominant factors in both gender groups. It seems plausible that positive attitudes shaped in physical education may increase the effectiveness of education, not only in PE classes but in the teaching-learning process in general as well. MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 108. Number 2. 135-147. (2008) Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Hamar Pál, Semmelweis Egyetem Testnevelési és Sporttudományi Kar (TF), H–1123 Budapest, Alkotás u. 44. Karsai István, PTE TTK Testnevelés- és Sporttudományi Intézet, H–7624 Pécs, Ifjúság útja 6. |
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