STUDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS ON THE PRACTICE OF EXTRACURRICULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY ACCORDING TO GENDER AND EDUCATIONAL STAGE

Abstract

Physical activity dropout rates, especially in adolescence, continue to increase. Many factors can influence this aspect, but teachers and the perception of the benefit of school Physical Education (PE) can be a decisive factor. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of Primary Education (PrE) and Secondary Education (SE) students in Cantabria regarding the influence of teachers and PE classes on extracurricular sports practice. An ad hoc questionnaire was used with two different parts: sociodemographic data (i.e. gender, age, grade, educational center and 4 questions related to the influence on extracurricular sports practice. 1.164 PrE (n = 387) and CSE (n = 777) students participated, with an age range between 10 and 17 years (M = 12,92; SD = 1,92), of which 590 (50,7%) were girls. Statistically significant differences were found in the educational stage factor in “Physical Education teachers help you become interested in physical activity -sports outside of class” (p = 0,019); “Physical Education classes motivate and influence the practice of physical-sports activity in free time” (p < 0,001) and “Physical Education classes have been or are being useful when practicing some physical-sports activity outside the center” (p < 0,001); In the gender factor, no differences were found in any of the items evaluated (p > 0,05). PrE students have a greater perception that teachers help them become interested in extracurricular physical activity, and that PE classes motivate them more and are more useful when it comes to this extracurricular sports practice, than do SE students. This same trend occurs with boys compared to girls.