First- versus last-year university students’ physical education motivations

ˑ: 

Dr. Hab., Professor V.N. Irkhin1
PhD, Associate Professor Y.N. Gut1
PhD, Associate Professor S.A. Korneeva1
PhD, Associate Professor S.V. Rylsky1
1Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod

Objective of the study was to survey and analyze physical education motivations of the first- versus last-year university students not majoring in sports.
Methods and structure of the study. Belgorod State National Research University’s Psychology Department students (n= 98) were sampled for the survey run in 2021. They were subject to My Attitude To Physical Education questionnaire survey by Y.N. Gut, S.A. Korneeva; Sports Motivations test by A.V. Shaboltas; and the Personality Success Motivations and Failure Avoidance tests by T. Ehlers. The survey data were processed by the standard statistical toolkit with the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test for unrelated samples using the SPSS 25 software.
Results and conclusion. The study was designed to survey and analyze physical education motivations of the first- versus last-year university students. We found the first-year students more physically active, although the seniors were tested trained on a more regular and determined basis knowing the benefits of physical education for health, mood and wellbeing. The younger group was tested focused on the socializing, peer communication, friends-making, public approval and recognition aspects. As for the GTO Complex test motivations, the seniors are reportedly more focused on success. The survey data and analysis found the genuine physical education motivations being volatile and underdeveloped in the younger group majoring not majoring in sports.

Keywords: physical education motivation, university physical education classes, sports-unrelated first- and last-year students.

References

  1. Martyn I.A. Formirovanie motivatsii k zanyatiyam fizicheskoy kulturoy i sportom u studencheskoy molodezhi [Motivating students for physical education and sports]. Universum: Psikhologiya i obrazovanie. Scientific e-journal. 2017. No. 6 (36).
  2. Raspopova E.A., Postolnik Y.A. Sravnitelnaya kharakteristika dominiruyushchikh motivov, pobuzhdayushchikh studentov razlichnykh vuzov k zanyatiyam fizicheskoy kulturoy [Comparative characteristics of dominant motives that encourage students of various universities to do sports]. Pedagogiko-psikhologicheskie problemy fizicheskoy kultury i sporta. 2018. V. 13. No. 1. pp. 125–132. DOI 10/14526/01_2018_291.
  3. Smutina A.O. Lichnostnaya motivatsiya studentov k zanyatiyam fizicheskoy kulturoy [Personal motivation of students to physical education]. Molodoy ucheny. 2020. No. 4 (294). pp. 316-318. Available at: https://moluch.ru/archive/294/66860/ (date of access: 02.03.2021).
  4. Gao Z.; Lee A.M.; Harrison L. Understanding Students’ Motivation in Sport and Physical Education: From the Expectancy-Value Model and Self-Efficacy Theory Perspectives. Quest, 2008, No. 60, рр.236–254. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef].