The hidden curriculum in school Physical Education: Perspectives of undergraduate students
Keywords:
hidden curriculum, physical education, higher educationAbstract
The unseen aspect of Physical Education (PE) school curriculum promote or deter children from adopting an active lifestyle. The purpose of this study was to document the opinions of university students, as future educators, regarding the teaching decisions and behaviors of physical education teachers that could convey positive or negative messages through the hidden curriculum. Participants were 102 graduating students of the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Democritus University of Thrace, who voluntarily and anonymously responded to a questionnaire using a 5-point rating scale and provided justifications for their answers. From the results, it became apparent that the students identified elements of the hidden curriculum related to the need for a variety of activities, the cultivation of individual responsibility of children, development of creativity and their critical thinking, as well as the expectations of educators concerning the motor skills of children. However, they did not identify, for the most part, hidden messages regarding the undervaluation of the importance of the subject, gender-based discrimination in sports, and the need for development of social skills. The findings serve as informational material for educators at universities to focus on eliminating remaining perceptions that may reflect incorrect student experiences from physical education courses.
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