Safety of physical education lessons according to teachers

ˑ: 

Przemysław Kędra, Ph.D.

Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Faculty of Physical Education and Health, Biala Podlaska, Poland

* Correspondence: przemyslaw.kedra@awf-bp.edu.pl

Abstract

Safety of physical education (PE) lessons poses a serious challenge to the functioning of the contemporary educational system. Research shows that there are numerous causes of accidents that result in injuries. This study sought to analyse PE teachers’ opinions regarding safety during lessons and potential risks associated with it. The analysis included 79 PE teachers employed in 17 schools. The author’s own questionnaire was used as the research tool. Prior to the research, the questionnaire was checked in terms of reliability. Over 67% of the respondents stated that students’ low physical fitness level was the main cause of accidents during PE lessons, while 58% of the study participants pointed to poor condition of sports facilities. It leads to a variety of injuries such as bruises, head and face injuries or sprains.  

Key words: injuries, school accidents, student, physical fitness level.

Background

Physical education (PE) plays an immensely important educational and health-promoting role.  It is an indispensable part of the health education system that is gaining significance due to numerous lifestyle diseases that already affect young generations. PE lessons are distinctive because of a higher risk of dangerous situations which may lead to injuries or even death. Statistical data show that accidents during PE lessons account for over 50% of all the accidents that take place in schools, and their number reaches tens of thousands. Therefore, safety of students during PE lessons constitutes schools’ primary responsibility, and it mainly falls on PE teachers.

This study sought to analyse PE teachers’ opinions regarding safety during lessons and potential risks associated with it.  

Research methods and organisation

         Seventy-nine PE teachers from 9 primary and 8 secondary schools from Lublin region participated in this anonymous study. The author’s own questionnaire was used as the research tool. Personal data collected in the course of the study included the length of professional experience and the type of school the teacher was employed in. The respondents were divided into 4 groups depending on the length of their professional experience. The division corresponded to the duration of particular stages of the professional promotion process. The questions included in the questionnaire concerned aspects of safety during PE lessons, causes of accidents and dangerous situations as well as professional skills of teachers.  

Results and discussion

The reliability score for all the analysed variables (expressed with Kappa coefficient) was equal to or higher than 0.93. The questionnaire was completed twice with an interval of one month. No significant differences between the results obtained in the two tests were revealed (p<0.05).

         Out of 79 respondents, 53 teachers (67.1%) claimed that low physical fitness level was the main cause of accidents during PE lessons. This view was expressed by teachers with the longest and the shortest professional experience. Poor condition of sports facilities was the second most common cause indicated by the study participants (58.2%). Too many students attending PE lessons was another frequent reason they reported (40.5%). It can be noted that together with an increase in the length of professional experience, there occurs a decrease in the number of teachers claiming that the lack of discipline on the part of students is the main cause of accidents (62.5 % vs. 50.0% vs. 45.0% vs. 39.1%) (Tab. 1).

         Afterwards, teachers were asked about the most common injuries picked up during PE lessons. In their opinion, students most frequently experienced lower limb bruises (41.8%), head and face injuries (34.2%) as well as upper limb bruises (30.4%). Other injuries that teachers mentioned were skin abrasions and wounds (26.6%). Lower and upper limb fractures were indicated as the least common injuries (Tab. 1).

Almost 47% of the respondents stated that in terms of safety, sports facilities available at school were satisfactory, while over 39% of the teachers considered them to be good. Only one in ten study participants claimed the facilities were very good, while very few of them (1.3%) were convinced they were in poor condition.   Similar responses were provided by teachers with the shortest and the longest professional experience (Tab. 2).

         Moreover, teachers were asked to self-assess their knowledge of legal regulations concerning safety. The largest group consisted of teachers who believed their knowledge was very good (39.2%) and good (31.6%). Only a few respondents stated their knowledge in this field was poor (3.8%) (Tab.2).

         More than 81% of the teachers with professional experience of less than 3 years and 50% of the teachers with experience of 4 to 6 years indicated that university studies were their main source of knowledge of safety regulations. In the group of respondents with 7 to 10 years of teaching experience as well as in those who had been working in this area for more than 10 years, the sources of knowledge included professional experience (50.0% vs. 56.5%, respectively), followed by courses and training completed during their professional careers (25.0% vs. 34.8%, respectively) (Tab. 2).

         Teachers were most often afraid that accidents during PE lessons would be caused by students themselves or would occur as a result of a random event (35.4%). It can be noted that with an increase in the length of professional experience, the percentage of teachers who claimed they felt no concern about potential injuries and accidents decreased (37.5% vs. 30.0% vs. 20.0% vs. 8.7%) (Tab. 2).

Table 1. The most common causes of accidents and injuries during PE lessons according to teachers, with regard to the length of their professional experience (n=79)

 

Experience

Total

(n=79)

< 3 years

(n=16)

4 to 6 years

(n=20)

7 to 10 years

(n=20)

> 10 years

(n=23)

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

n

%

Causes of accidents during PE lessons*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

faulty equipment

5

31.3

7

35.0

7

35.0

8

34.8

27

34.2

poor condition of sports facilities

10

62.5

11

55.0

9

45.0

16

69.6

46

58.2

lessons conducted in school corridor

4

25.0

3

15.0

5

25.0

2

8.7

14

17.7

large number of students

8

50.0

7

35.0

8

40.0

9

39.1

32

40.5

large number of groups in one place

7

43.8

4

20.0

5

25.0

4

17.4

20

25.3

no discipline on the part of students

10

62.5

10

50.0

9

45.0

9

39.1

38

48.1

low physical fitness level of students

12

75.0

14

70.0

13

65.0

14

60.9

53

67.1

teacher’s organisational errors

2

12.5

4

20.0

6

30.0

5

21.7

17

21.5

students left without supervision

2

12.5

3

15.0

3

15.0

4

17.4

12

15.2

overestimation of one’s skills

4

25.0

2

10.0

3

15.0

6

26.1

15

19.0

participation of students who report feeling unwell

3

18.8

5

25.0

3

15.0

2

8.7

13

16.5

lack of knowledge about students’ health status

others

3

18.8

1

5.0

0

0.0

2

8.7

6

7.6

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

0.5

0

0.0

1

1.3

Most common injuries picked up during PE lessons*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lower limb bruises

8

50.0

7

35.0

9

45.0

9

39.1

33

41.8

upper limb bruises

4

25.0

5

25.0

6

30.0

9

39.1

24

30.4

lower limb fractures

1

6.3

2

10.0

2

10.0

3

13.0

8

10.1

upper limb fractures

1

6.3

1

5.0

4

20.0

4

17.4

10

12.7

knee sprains

3

18.8

2

10.0

3

15.0

4

17.4

12

15.2

wrist sprains

3

18.8

4

20.0

3

15.0

5

21.7

15

19.0

ankle sprains

5

31.3

6

30.0

5

25.0

6

26.1

22

27.8

head and face injuries

7

43.8

5

25.0

6

30.0

9

39.1

27

34.2

others

6

37.5

4

20.0

6

30.0

5

21.7

21

26.6

* it does not add up to 100% because more than one response could be provided

Table 2. Assessment of sports facilities, knowledge of safety rules and fears of teachers, with regard to the length of their professional experience

 

Experience

Total

< 3 years

4 to 6 years

7 to 10 years

> 10 years

n (16)

%

n (20)

%

n (20)

%

n (23)

%

n (79)

%

Condition of sports facilities in terms of safety

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

very good

1

6.3

2

10.0

2

10.0

3

13.0

8

10.1

good

4

25.0

7

35.0

9

45.0

11

47.8

31

39.2

satisfactory

10

62.5

10

50.0

9

45.0

8

34.8

37

46.8

poor

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

4.3

1

1.3

no opinion

1

6.3

1

5.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

2

2.5

PE teachers’ knowledge of safety rules

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

very good

4

25.0

8

40.0

8

40.0

11

47.8

31

39.2

good

4

25.0

6

30.0

8

40.0

7

30.4

25

31.6

satisfactory

3

18.8

4

20.0

2

10.0

2

8.7

11

13.9

poor

2

12.5

1

5.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

3

3.8

no opinion

3

18.8

1

5.0

2

10.0

3

13.0

9

11.4

Sources of knowledge of safety rules*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

university studies

13

81.3

10

50.0

7

35.0

8

34.8

38

48.1

professional experience

1

6.3

5

25.0

10

50.0

13

56.5

29

36.7

Internet

6

37.5

3

15.0

3

15.0

0

0.0

12

15.2

courses/training

0

0.0

8

40.0

5

25.0

8

34.8

21

26.6

professional literature

2

12.5

1

5.0

0

0.0

1

4.3

4

5.1

Fear of accidents during PE lessons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not afraid

6

37.5

6

30.0

4

20.0

2

8.7

18

22.8

accident due to my negligence

1

6.3

0

0.0

2

10.0

2

8.7

5

6.3

accident due to student’s negligence

5

31.3

8

40.0

6

30.0

9

39.1

28

35.4

random event

4

25.0

6

30.0

8

40.0

10

43.5

28

35.4

* it does not add up to 100% because more than one response could be provided

Summary and conclusions

  1. The findings of the present study revealed numerous causes of accidents during PE lessons. They are associated with students’ low levels of physical fitness, the lack of discipline, poor condition of sports facilities as well as faulty sports equipment at school. Only one in ten study participants considered their sports facilities to be very good. Another problem is constituted by large numbers of students in groups. Every fifth respondent also stated that the causes include teachers’ organisational errors.  
  2. Accidents that occur during PE lessons cause a lot of injuries, both serious ones, such as fractures or sprains, and minor ones, e.g. bruises or abrasions.  
  3. PE teachers consider their knowledge of safety rules to be very good. Only one in four respondents acquired this knowledge through participating in professional courses and training.
  4. More than 75% of the study participants were afraid that accidents might take place during their lessons. It concerned both random events and students’ negligence.  

Practical applications

The results of the study show that educational bodies should pay close attention to the issue of safety during PE classes. The specificity of the subject indicates that it is inextricably linked to a variety of dangerous situations that cannot be eliminated entirely; however, every effort ought to be made to reduce these risks. It often requires considerable investments in sports facilities and equipment. Too large groups and working in crowded places significantly increase the risk of accidents and other perilous situations. PE teachers point to the need for changes, as they are afraid accidents will take place during their lessons. Therefore, educational institutions should offer regular courses that would equip teachers with necessary knowledge regarding legal responsibility. Without the above-mentioned changes, PE lessons will still rank highest when it comes to accidents.  

References

  1. Babalola A. (2012) Sources of Legal Liability among Physical Education Teachers. International Education Studies, 5,3:193-198.
  2. Caine D., Maffulli N., Caine C. (2007) Injury rate, risk factors, and prevention. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 27,1: 19-50.
  3. Capel S. (2000) Re-reflecting on priorities for physical education: now and in the twenty- first century. In S. Capel, and S. Piotrowski (Eds.), Issues in Physical Education. London Routledge: 209-220.
  4. Finn D.M., Ammon R., Mahoney K., Fried G. B., Al Arkoubi K. (2015) Killer Jobs: The dark side of being a Physical Education Teacher. Strategies, 28,3: 34-39.
  5. Hutton T., Bailey K. (2008) School Policies and Legal Issues Supporting Safe Schools. The George Washington University: 1-54.
  6. Micheli L.J., Glassman R., Klein M. (2000) The prevention of sports injuries in children, Clinics in Sports Medicine, 19,4: 821-834.
  7. Park Y. (2018) How do specialist teachers practice safety lessons? Exploring the aspects of physical education safety lessons in Elementary Schools. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education 10,4: 457-461.
  8. Podstawski R., Zwolińska D., Nowosielska-Swadźba D. (2015) Problems of safety and risk in physical education. Pedagogics psychology medical-biological problems of physical training and sports, 19,10: 82-89.
  9. Saczuk J., Wasiluk A. (2019) Secular trends in the physical fitness of underweight, overweight, and obese girls. Polish Journal of Sport and Tourism, 26,1: 28-32.
  10. Sanders H. (2008) School Liability: The danger of mandatory physical education Classes. Journal of Law Education, 37,3: 443-451.