Concepciones sobre las finalidades y objetivos de la Educación Física en enseñanzas secundarias desde la perspectiva de los participantes en el proceso de formación del profesorado

Abstract

This thesis aimed to analyze what are the objectives and/or purposes of the subject of Physical Education in the school curriculum from the perspective of the participants in the training process of Physical Education teachers and to analyze the evolution of their conceptions throughout the phases of professional socialization. The study sample involved (1) 398 students from the Universidade da Coruña and the Universidade de Vigo who began their Bachelor's degree studies in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences in the 2013/2014 academic year, finished it in the academic year 2016/2017 and completed the University Master's Degree in Compulsory Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Professional Training and Language Teaching in 2017/2018; (2) 120 active Physical Education teachers in centres located in the area of influence of the aforementioned universities and (3) 34 university professor who exercise the teaching function in the Faculties of Sports Sciences and Physical Education of both universities. The data collection instruments to address the question under study were three semi-structured questionnaires (one for students at the 1st and 4th grade levels; another at the end of the Master's degree and the third in question for Physical Education teacher and university professor). These contained both open and closed questions, organized in 3 dimensions in the case of students in initial training (personal data, biographical characterization and conception of professional activity) and 5 dimensions for teachers (personal data, biographical characterization, previous and present teaching experiences, conceptions of professional activity and conceptions about initial training in Physical Education and Sport). The data obtained were analyzed from a quantitative perspective (1), describing through frequencies and percentages which elements the participants referred to as objectives and/or purposes of Physical Education in the school curriculum (general educational purposes, promotion of the like for physical activity, promotion of active lifestyles, promotion of sport-related learning, promotion of learning related to physical condition and health, promotion of physical fitness and promoting catharsis), using the Chi-Square test to assess possible significant differences between the referenced categories and the sample group, gender and institution of belonging of the respondents, as well as Cramer's V to quantify the degree of association between the elements of the study mentioned and, (2) qualitatively, analyzing the number of categories in the responses and the evolution of the quality and/or degree of reflection that respondents reflect on the question under study. The results obtained coincide in pointing out the categories general educational purposes, promoting active lifestyles and promoting learning related to physical condition and health, regardless of the sample group, as the main purposes of the subject, being almost testimonial the presence of the rest of categories. Furthermore, dependency relationships were found between different categories referring to the objectives and purposes of Physical Education and the sample group, gender or institution of belonging of the participants. In general terms, the group of teachers, notably the university professor, make a greater justification of their statements, incorporating a more careful and appropriate language for this field of study, compared to students in initial training. The analysis carried out of the responses of this last group showed that there is no relationship between the educational level in which they are and the quality of their speech, being the general trend the enumeration or citation of the elements that they consider the purpose of the subject without going into depth nor describe them. As a final reflection, initial and continuous teacher training, as well as school physical education, should face a social and cultural transformation that leads young people to acquire a series of knowledge and skills to develop autonomous participation throughout their lives in the practice of physical activity. Given that the categories that are related to this task are widely present in their answers, it must be verified that they are being put into practice and that the secondary education students are participants in this discourse.