Changes and Relations of Student Attitude and Perceived Competence Over a School Year

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Eleven
  In Roundtable Session: Research on Physical Education Students and Policy (Table 18)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess changes overtime and the relationship between students’ attitudes toward PE, their perceived competence toward PE and their fitness test performance. Measurements were conducted with validated instruments across four time points over a two-year period with fourth and fifth grade students across ten schools (n=636, 48%=female). Descriptive statistics and latent growth models were run with the variables of interest to answer four research questions. Results showed that fitness scores predicted higher levels of competence but not attitude. Greater attitude levels were predictive of higher competence. Results suggested that previous fitness test experiences shaped future attitudes overtime as opposed to “in the moment” attitude scores, this longitudinal data was not identified in previous research.

Authors

• Risto Marttinen, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Kevin Mercier, Adelphi University
  Presenting Author

• Jung Yeon Park, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelly L. Simonton, University of Wyoming
  Presenting Author

• Erin Elizabeth Centeio, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
  Presenting Author

• K. Andrew R. Richards, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Presenting Author

• Kathleen S Wilson, California State University - Fullerton
  Non-Presenting Author