The attitude of physical education college students and their parents towards physical education as a profession

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of college students and their parents towards Physical Education as a profession. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies was utilized. Two questionnaires were constructed and answers were recorded using the Likert scale. One questionnaire was applied to a random sample of 1125 students (544 males and 581 females) in college and the second was applied to a random sample of 148 parents (90 males and 58 females) from same developmental areas. The three development regions used in the study sample in Nepal were Western Development Region, Central Development Region and Estern Development. The questionnaires were applied to the student and parents sample by the researcher. The results of this study indicate that both parents and students had positive attitudes towards Physical Education. The students valued Physical Education as a means of health promotion and enjoyment and showed a desire to participate, which increased as they became older. Both students and parents were concerned about the status of Physical Education in colleges, the limited curriculum time devoted to Physical Education, the narrow choice of activities offered, and parental attitude. In the light of these findings, clear suggestions are offered in the conclusion of this thesis as to the way ahead for future developments for Physical Education in Nepal.