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Physical Education: Present and Future

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 36924

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Prof. Dr. Rubén Navarro Patón

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Facultade de Formación do Profesorado, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27001 Lugo, Spain
Interests: physical activity; physical education; first aid; physical exercise
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Language and Education, University of Camilo José Cela, 28692 Madrid, Spain
Interests: physical activity; physical education; children; healthy life style; physical exercise
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Víctor Arufe-Giráldez

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Sport in Schools, Physical Education and Psychomotricity Research Unit, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of A Coruña, 15001 A Coruña, Spain
Interests: physical activity; psychomotricity; education; physical education; cognitive functions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical education has garnered great scientific interest in recent years due to its benefits and effects in various spheres of human development.

Thus, new ways of working on the contents of the educational curriculum, new pedagogical models, multiple innovations in the material to be used in classes, innovation in evaluation, and, ultimately, new trends in physical education have been produced.

This Special Issue aims to publish articles of empirical research or literature reviews, systematic or meta-analysis, that investigate the physical education of the future, supported by scientific evidence.

We encourage all professionals in this important curricular subject to send in their research papers and thus contribute to giving visibility to the educational potential that this subject has, as well as the new trends, future, and innovation in physical education.

Works focused on physical education in children from 3 years old to 18 years old that provide new methodologies, methods of evaluation, innovation, neuroeducation, novel content proposals, and alternative sports, among other variables, will be accepted.

Prof. Dr. Rubén Navarro Patón
Prof. Dr. Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez
Prof. Dr. Víctor Arufe-Giráldez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

physical education
innovation in physical education
physical activity
motor skills
children
adolescents

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs as Predictors of Motivation towards Physical Education in Primary Education: Influence of Gender and Physical Self-Concept

by Marta Prado-Botana, Miriam Carretero-García, Lara Varela-Garrote and Raúl Fraguela-Vale

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(24), 7186; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20247186 - 15 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2789

Abstract

The aims of this study are as follows: (a) to determine the level of physical self-concept, satisfaction with basic psychological needs (BNP), and motivation towards physical education (PE) among primary education school students; (b) to analyze the correlations between the different variables; to (c) identify gender differences in the studied variables; and (d) to examine the capacity of BPN, physical self-concept, and gender as predictors of different types of motivation towards PE. The sample comprises 474 primary school students (average age = 10.58; SD = 0.626) from four educational centers in A Coruña, Spain. A multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to determine whether independent variables of BPN, gender, and physical self-concept can predict different types of motivation towards PE. The results show that satisfaction with the BPN of autonomy is significantly lower than the other two variables. Moreover, there is a positive and significant correlation between physical self-concept and satisfaction with BPN, as well as with intrinsic, identified, and introjected motivations. Boys outperform girls in physical self-concept, satisfaction with competence and socialization BPNs, and introjected, external, and amotivation motivations. The main conclusion is that BPNs solely forecast the most self-determined motivations (intrinsic and identified), have a restricted influence on introjected motivations, and do not predict external regulation or amotivation. Neither gender nor physical self-concept significantly contributes to predicting any motivation towards PE at these ages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

11 pages, 379 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Attitudes towards Peers with Disabilities among Schoolchildren in Physical Education Classes

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Santiago Gomez-Paniagua, Jose Carmelo Adsuar, Maria Mendoza-Muñoz, Antonio Castillo-Paredes, Angel Denche-Zamorano, Miguel Angel Garcia-Gordillo and Sabina Barrios-Fernandez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3802; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053802 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

All children, including those living with disabilities, have the right to be provided with Inclusive Education (IE) together with appropriate support in scholarly settings. A key factor for educational inclusion is peers’ attitudes towards disabilities, which impact disabled students’ social participation and learning. Physical Education (PE) classes represent an opportunity for students with disabilities to get psychological, social, health, and educational benefits. This study aimed to assess Spanish students’ attitudes regarding their peers with disabilities during PE lessons and to explore possible differences between gender, school location, and age group. The sample consisted of 1437 students from public schools in Extremadura (Spain) from the primary and secondary stages. Participants completed the Attitude towards Students with Disabilities in Physical Education (EAADEF-EP) Questionnaire. The Mann-Whitney U test was carried out to establish differences in scores according to sex, school location, age group, and correlations between age and item scores using the Spearman’s Rho test. The results displayed significant differences in the total and item scores considering sex and centre location, with good reliability values (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86). The EAADEF-EP Questionnaire has proven to be a quick, easy, and inexpensive tool to assess attitudes. Girls and participants whose school was in a rural setting had better attitudes towards inclusion. This study’s results highlight the importance of carrying out educational actions and programs to improve students’ attitudes towards their peers with disabilities considering the influences of the studied variables. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

15 pages, 559 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Attitudes toward Corporal Expression in Primary School Students: Validation and Psychometric Properties of a Questionnaire

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Irene Polo-Campos, Claudio Hernández-Mosqueira and Santiago Gomez-Paniagua

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3463; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043463 - 16 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1653

Abstract

The content of corporal expression, usually forgotten by some teachers, has been shown to have favorable effects on the physical, social, and psychological health of students at all levels of education. Likewise, students’ attitudes should be positively influenced in the school environment in order to improve the teaching–learning process of the different contents taught. The purpose of this study was to provide the factor structure and validity of a questionnaire used to gauge pupils’ attitudes toward corporal expression. The sample consisted of 709 students in the last cycle of primary school from schools in the region of Extremadura (Spain). Reliability testing as well as confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were conducted. The findings revealed a factor structure with three dimensions composed of 30 items with high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85–0.90) and good and exceptional goodness-of-fit values. As a result, the questionnaire can be seen as a quick and simple instrument to use in analyzing students’ attitudes toward corporal expression and enabling stakeholders to take action to support it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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16 pages, 374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Older Physical Education Teachers’ Wellbeing at Work and Its Challenges

by Henry Lipponen, Mirja Hirvensalo and Kasper Salin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114250 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2244

Abstract

This article examines older physical education (PE) teachers’ wellbeing over the course of their career in Finland. The study highlights challenges to physical and mental functioning as well as how teachers respond to these challenges. The six interviewees were over 55-year-old PE teachers, whose career had lasted for more than 30 years. Qualitative methods were used in the collection, transcription and analysis of the research data. The qualitative analysis consisted of a series of interpretations that visualised the world described by the interviewees. All the research participants had physical problems that affected their teaching and make teachers consider a potential career change. To be able to teach, teachers adapted their ways of working according to the challenges brought by age and injuries. The research participants found that the challenges caused by musculoskeletal problems and ageing were an inevitable part of the profession. They emphasised the positive sides of the work: the profession permits varied workdays. In addition, the teachers noted that their work provides them with opportunities to remain physically fit. Teaching health education is a means to lighten the workload of older teachers. PE teachers enjoy their profession and are dedicated to it, despite all the challenges. The interviewed participants clearly experienced work engagement. Our development proposal for teacher education is that future PE teachers be informed about the risks involved in the profession. Such activity helps young teachers reflect proactively on the measures taken to maintain their functioning during their career and on perspectives related to the ways of working. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

12 pages, 935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility of a Social Network-Based Physical Activity Intervention Targeting Vocational School Students: A Pilot Study

by Liane Günther, Sarah Schleberger and Claudia R. Pischke

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9474; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159474 - 2 Aug 2022

Viewed by 1470

Abstract

Globally, four out of five adolescents do not meet the recommendations for physical activity (PA). Moving large segments of young adults from inactivity to activity is essential to reach the global target of a 15% relative reduction in inactivity by 2030 worldwide. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of a social network-based PA intervention (WALK2gether) in vocational school students. Fourteen students from one vocational school in the city of Duesseldorf were instructed to walk ten thousand steps per day over six weeks. Applied behavior change techniques were self-monitoring of steps and social comparison via a pedometer app and a Facebook group. Indicators of feasibility were documented. The intervention was minimally resource intensive, with a total of 92 h spent by the research staff. The recruitment rate was 19.2% and loss-to-follow up 28.6%. Our data revealed no significant change in the target behavior PA from baseline to follow-up. The target population did not interact in the Facebook group, while a moderate use of the pedometer app was noted. Although the results ought to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size, the findings suggest that the WALK2gether intervention was partially feasible, but not appropriate for the target group. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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14 pages, 696 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variations in Manual Dexterity in 11- and 12-Year-Old Children in the North of Spain in the SARS-CoV-2 Lockdown

by Oliver Ramos-Álvarez, Víctor Arufe-Giráldez, Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez and Rubén Navarro-Patón

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7162; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127162 - 10 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2309

Abstract

Between March and June 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus broke out in Spain. The lockdown in response entailed the modification of certain habits in the infant–juvenile population, such as those related to the practice of physical activity and the implications derived from it. The aim of this study was to learn the impacts that lockdown had on manual dexterity in children aged 11–12 years. Methods: A total of 50 Spanish children aged 11–12 years (M = 11.40; SD = 0.50) participated, 33 (66%) boys and 17 (34%) girls. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (Movement ABC-2) and an ad hoc questionnaire for socio-demographic data and other relevant information were administered for the data collection. Results: There are significant differences (p < 0.05) in the results for the manual dexterity variables measured by the peg turning and line drawing tests as well as by the measured, scalar and percentile dimension scores for manual dexterity between before and after the lockdown in both boys and girls. No significant differences were found in measurements related to the triangle assembly variable (p = 0.125). Conclusions: A significant negative impact of SARS-CoV-2 lockdown on manual dexterity values was evident in boys and girls aged 11–12 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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9 pages, 369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Satisfaction with Physical Activity among Students in the Last Cycle of Primary Education in Extremadura

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, María José González-Becerra, Santiago Gómez-Paniagua and José Carmelo Adsuar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(11), 6702; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116702 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2528

Abstract

Satisfaction with physical activity during Physical Education classes leads to improved health and adherence to future healthy lifestyle habits, in addition, higher levels of physical activity have also been widely associated with higher academic achievement in primary school. To find out how satisfied Extremadura students are with the physical activity they perform, a questionnaire was distributed with different items related to positive and negative feelings they may feel during the practice. The differences between the items of the questionnaire and the total median scores according to sex and center location were analyzed and found to be present in all the items that refer to positive feelings. Additionally, the relationship between age and the mean score obtained through the questionnaire was evaluated, without discovering any significant correlations. The results showed that students are generally satisfied with the physical activity they practice in their classes and that this has benefited their academic performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

11 pages, 1177 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychometric Properties of a Questionnaire to Assess Perceptions of Corporal Expression in Future Spanish Teachers

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Santiago Gomez-Paniagua, María Mendoza-Muñoz, Jorge Carlos-Vivas, Ángel Acevedo-Duque, Elizabeth Emperatriz García-Salirrosas and José Carmelo Adsuar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6150; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106150 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2004

Abstract

Corporal expression is a content that is forgotten by most educators but has been proved to bring numerous benefits to students of all ages. Teacher perceptions and beliefs play a fundamental role in the teaching-learning process, influencing students to a great extent. This study aims to present the factor structure and reliability of a questionnaire for the assessment of teachers’ perceptions about corporal expression. The sample consisted of 212 Spanish prospective teachers who completed the questionnaire to assess their readiness and appreciation about corporal expression. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as reliability testing, were carried out. The results showed a factor structure with 3 dimensions (pleasure, preference, and evaluation of corporal expression) composed of 23 items with good and excellent goodness-of-fit values and high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71–0.93). Thus, the questionnaire can be considered a quick and easy-to-apply tool to analyze prospective teacher’s perceptions about their preparation to address their students’ corporal expression, allowing stakeholders to take actions to promote it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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9 pages, 367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Female and Rural School Students Show More Positive Attitudes toward Disability during Physical Education Lessons

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, Alejandro Vega-Muñoz, Nicolás Contreras-Barraza and Sabina Barrios-Fernandez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5881; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105881 - 12 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2360

Abstract

Physical education (PE) lessons offer an excellent opportunity to encourage participation and learning for students with and without disabilities. However, there are still barriers that prevent educative inclusion (EI) from being achieved, with negative attitudes being one of the major issues. This study aimed to explore students without disabilities’ attitudes toward their peers with disabilities in the second stage of Primary Education, examining possible differences according to sex (male or female) and school location (urban or rural). The Scale of Attitudes toward Students with Disabilities in Physical Education–Primary Education (SASDPE-PE), a four-item instrument with a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), was administered to 545 Spanish students aged 9 to 12 years old. The results revealed that girls and students from rural schools showed more positive attitudes toward their peers with disabilities during the PE lessons; differences were significant in both cases. Thus, according to our findings, the SASDPE-PE is a practical tool to assess attitudes, even after an attitude-change programme. Furthermore, PE attitude-change programmes should be implemented, especially considering male students and those enrolled in urban schools. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

9 pages, 354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Motivation of Students of the Last Cycle of Primary School in the Subject of Physical Education

by Jorge Rojo-Ramos, María José González-Becerra, Santiago Gómez-Paniagua, Eugenio Merellano-Navarro and José Carmelo Adsuar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031332 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2975

Abstract

Motivation is the impulse that leads people to perform certain actions and persist in them to achieve certain objectives. Motivation is important in all areas of life and has a very important role in academics, where it can be considered essential for learning motor skills and performance. In this study, we intended to evaluate motivation in the Physical Education classroom among students in the last grade of elementary school. For this purpose, a total of 545 students aged between 9 and 13 years were selected to take the CMEF-EP questionnaire through a tablet and by means of the Google Forms application. The different relationships between items and dimensions were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test. A Spearman’s test was used to explore the relationship between dimensions and age. The results showed that the predominant motivation in the classroom is intrinsic motivation and that demotivation is practically nonexistent. In addition, it was found that there are differences between the genders in some of the categories and that there are no differences in the location of the study center. Therefore, it can be said that it is essential to generate a motivational climate based on the subject and his or her interests in order to favor intrinsic motivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

Review

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22 pages, 1739 KiB

Open AccessReview

News of the Pedagogical Models in Physical Education—A Quick Review

by Víctor Arufe-Giráldez, Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez, Oliver Ramos-Álvarez and Rubén Navarro-Patón

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2586; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032586 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 7820

Abstract

In the last two decades, research has proliferated in the field of pedagogical models used in school Physical Education. The growth is so high that it is necessary to do a quick review to know which models currently exist and which are emerging. The objective of this work is to collect all the models or pedagogical approaches present in the scientific literature related to school Physical Education and to make known, to the scientific and academic community, its main purposes and characteristics. A quick review of the literature found in the Web of Science and Scopus databases has been carried out using “pedagogical model” and “Physical Education” as descriptors. The results revealed a total of 19 pedagogical approaches that record scientific evidence linked to their application in the classroom. It was detected that some models or approaches were more scientifically supported than others, as is the case for Cooperative Learning, Sports Education, or Teaching Games for Understanding, while others barely registered in international scientific literature. It was concluded that researchers need to work together with Physical Education teachers to analyze the effectiveness of all these approaches. School teachers are also encouraged to vary their pedagogical approach depending on the content they are working on and the positive effects they are looking for in the psychic, motor, affective-emotional, and social domains of the students. Finally, it is proposed to researchers who promote new models or approaches a greater clarity of these to facilitate their application in the field of school Physical Education, since some difficulty has been detected in the practical application of some approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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14 pages, 730 KiB

Open AccessReview

Textbooks and Learning Materials in Physical Education in the International Context: Literature Review

by Jesús Rodríguez Rodríguez, Denébola Álvarez-Seoane, Víctor Arufe-Giráldez, Rubén Navarro-Patón and Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7206; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127206 - 12 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3252

Abstract

This paper presents a review of the research carried out internationally in recent years regarding textbooks, teaching materials, and the field of physical education. The objectives to which this article aims are as follows: To offer a compilation of current research papers published in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Dialnet databases and to provide a classification of the research lines undertaken on the subject. The information used is based on a review of studies listed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Dialnet. For this, a systematic review was carried out with the terms: “curricular resources”, “didactic materials”, “digital resources”, “educational resource”, “physical education”, and “textbooks”, allowing the selection of original articles, which included information on this line of research. For the literature review, only articles that presented scientific evidence were used, discarding merely descriptive articles or didactic experiences that were not investigated with the scientific protocol. A total of 589 articles were found, although after applying the review’s inclusion criteria, they were reduced to 54 articles. The investigations do not follow a common protocol and the researchers address multiple objectives in them, highlighting the studies on the implicit ideological discourse in the images of physical education textbooks. The results reveal a diversity of research, in particular, studies involving ideological discourse. Insofar as methodology, content analysis of textbooks and materials was the most common approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Education: Present and Future)

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