International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.4 No.

1 January, 2015 ISSN: 2319-4642

www.ijter.com

ATTITUDE OF HIGHER SECONDARY STUDENTS TOWARDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION

DR. B.KANNAN
Assistant Professor
Centre for Educational Research
Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-21
E-mail: kannaneducation@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT
This study reveals about the attitude of higher secondary students towards Physical Education.
Two hundred and fifty higher secondary students were randomly selected as samples for the study. The
tool used in this study is an inventory on Attitude towards Physical Education constructed by Rajendra
Prasad J., and Ramakrishnan, G. (2002). The results indicate that attitude towards Physical Education is
found to be highly favourable among the Higher Secondary Students.
Keywords: Attitude, Physical Education, Higher Secondary Students.
INTRODUCTION
Attitudes are born from beliefs that we have about people and things. They shape our behaviors in
countless ways and determine our involvement in activities, the goals that we set and those we decide to
abandon. Ajzen & Fishbein’s (1980); Fishbein & Ajzen, (1975) theory of reasoned action further explains
that attitudes flow from beliefs and yield intentions and actions. Intentions are a function of two basic
determinants: one’s personal attitude toward a behavior, and the attitude of others, including peers and
parents, toward that behavior.
The first determinant is the individual’s positive or negative evaluations for performing the behavior.
Generally, people with positive beliefs will have a favorable attitude toward the object of the beliefs and
conversely will have an unfavorable attitude if their beliefs are negative (Silverman & Subramaniam, 1999).
The second determinant is the person’s perception of social pressure to perform or not perform the
behavior based on the evaluation of others. Thus, an attitudinal consideration and a normative Physical
education is important to teach kids and adults for that matter! We need to educated people on the
importance of being active, exercising, eating right to maintain a healthy body, especially for children as
their bones and muscles continue to grow and develop. Exercise is important for strong bodies and core
strength and helps develop motor skills. It's an overall confidence booster.

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Physical Education also teaches the importance of proper nutrition. It helps teach the importance of
sportsmanship and team building skills, working together as a team, supporting one another, how to
organize the group/team, communication skills. It helps reduce stress when we exercise which everyone
has especially kids of today. Physical Education is definitely important in schools. We need to get kids
moving and away from their computers and video games and off the sofa. They need to develop good
exercise habits as kids so hopefully it will carry over to adulthood.
The conduct of physical education programmes in educational institutions is confronted with lot of
problems. Though, the public speak more about sports and games during competitions between countries,
they are not bothering about giving training to their wards in physical education. The attitude and thinking
of all strata of society towards physical education is varied in nature. The important given to physical
education programs in higher secondary classes is not uniform in all educational institutions. As mentioned
earlier the attitude of teachers and students is varying from school to school. This variation should be
found out so as to make the present higher secondary educational system more functional.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Attitude – refers to the sum of evaluative weighed expectations or beliefs. It reflects the general
and prevalent notion of behaviours.
Physical Education – refers to the programs by which higher secondary students acquire the
motor skills, physical fitness, knowledge and values to co-ordinate movement, for good health and for
effective performance in various forms of physical activity, which is usually understood to mean games,
sports, dance and life style recreations such as boating, hiking etc.
Higher Secondary Students - refers to the XI and XII standard students in higher secondary
classes of State Board schools in Madurai District.
VARIABLES OF THE STUDY
The study has been designed with the following variables:
Dependent Variable
 Attitude towards Physical Education
Independent Variables
 Gender
 Age
 Community
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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.4 No.1 January, 2015 ISSN: 2319-4642
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 Religion
 Standard
 School locality
 School kind
 School management
 Medium of Instruction
 Interest in sports and games
 Sports person in the family
 Family income
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To measure the level of attitude towards Physical Education among the higher secondary
students.
2. To find out whether there is any significant difference in attitude towards Physical
Education among the Higher Secondary students in terms of select Independent variables.
HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY
Each of the independent variables exerts a significance influence on attitude towards Physical
Education among the higher secondary students.
METHODOLOGY – IN – BRIEF
SAMPLE
A sample consists of two hundred and fifty higher secondary students from various schools in
Madurai District, Tamil Nadu State Board. This has been chosen through random sampling technique.
TOOLS USED
Attitude towards Physical Education – Inventory (Constructed and Standardized by Rajendra
Prasath, V, and Ramakrishnan, G., (2002))
DATA ANALYSIS
The empirical average score of attitude towards teaching practice among higher secondary
Students is found to be 39.14, while the theoretical average is 34 only. This shows that the attitude towards
Physical Education among the Higher Secondary students is above the average. In other words, attitude
towards Physical Education is found to be high among the Higher Secondary Students.

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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.4 No.1 January, 2015 ISSN: 2319-4642
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DIFFERENTIAL STUDIES IN ATTITUDE TOWARDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The statistical measures and the results of test of significance of difference between the mean
scores of attitude towards Physical Education among Higher Secondary students in terms of Independent
variables are presented in Table.1
TABLE-1
STATISTICAL MEASURES AND RESULTS OF TESTS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MEANS OF ATTITUDE TOWARDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION:
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES– WISE

VARIABLE SUB- N M SD ‘t’ - SIGNIFICANCE

VARIABLES VALUE AT 0.05 LEVEL

Male 90 41.300 10.314

2.42 Significant
Gender 160 37.987 7.238
Female
Upto 17 208 39.086 8.375
42 39.404 9.191 0.208 Not Significant
Age 18 above
SC/ST 62 37.564 7.668
188 39.659 8.712 1.802 Not Significant
Community Others
Hindu 164 38.359 8.889
86 40.627 7.528 2.123 Significant
Religion Others
XI 79 34.544 7.685
171 41.263 8.022 6.337 Significant
Standard XII
Rural 133 39.872 9.011
117 38.307 7.832 1.469 Not Significant
School locality Urban
Unisex 196 39.454 8.870
54 38.000 6.944 1.278 Not Significant
School Kind Mixed
Govt./Aided 178 38.134 8.955
School 72 41.625 6.678 3.374 Significant
Management Private
Tamil 180 41.269 7.391
70 33.875 8.814 6.281 Significant
Medium English
Yes 52 39.326 7.498
Interest in sports
198 39.090 8.760 0.195 Not Significant
and games No

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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.4 No.1 January, 2015 ISSN: 2319-4642
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Sports person in Yes 45 39.090 8.760 Not Significant

the family 155 39.326 7.498 0.195
No
Adequate 190 39.404 8.259
60 39.642 7.268 0.199 Not Significant
Family Income Inadequate

Three out of twelve independent variables took up in this study exerts any significant influence on
attitude towards physical education among higher secondary students. Hence hypothesis is minimally
accepted.
MAJOR FINDINGS
 Higher secondary Students have the above average level of favourable attitude towards
Physical Education.
 The possession of attitude towards Physical Education among the higher secondary
Students is found dependent of their
 Gender
 Religion
 Standard
 School management
 Medium
 Attitude towards Physical Education is found higher among the students those
 Who are male than female
 Who belongs to other religion than hindus
 Who are studying XII standard than XI standard
 Who are studying in private schools than in government/aided
schools
 Who are studying in Tamil medium than English medium

 The possession of attitude towards Physical Education among the higher secondary
students is found independent on
 Age
 Community

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International Journal of Teacher Educational Research (IJTER) Vol.4 No.1 January, 2015 ISSN: 2319-4642
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 School locality
 School kind
 Interest in sports and games
 Sports person in the family
 Family income
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Physical education in India is often a neglected part of education and many schools across the
country do not realize the importance of having physical education as a part of the system. There are many
benefits that are available from physical education and there are a few schools that have managed to strike
the balance between academics and physical fitness. This kind of attitude should be change. Regarding
these government and non-governmental agencies and educational administrators may take necessary
steps to promote the level of attitude towards Physical Education among the peoples in general and
students in particular.
This study reveals that the female students, hindus, government/aided school students, XI
standard students and English medium students possess low level of attitude towards physical education
than their counterparts. Hence the school teachers, authorities may take necessary steps to inculcate the
favourable attitude towards physical education among these students in order to get good physique.

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