STUDENT’S ATTRACTION TOWARDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SOUTH KASHMIR

Manzoor ul Rashid Department of Physical Education, Shri Venkateshwara University, Utter Pradesh, India. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History Received: 05 January 2020 Final Accepted: 07 February 2020 Published: March 2020

Physical activity is an important aspect of any health promotion program, and lack of it is a primary risk factor for many lifestylerelated diseases. The present study was conducted on Five hundred (300 male and 200 female) students between age group 16 to 18 years. To examine the attitude of students toward Physical Education the questionnaire developed by Claudia Cockburn (1999) was administered on all the subjects. The data was tabulated in excel format and was analyzed accordingly. It was concluded that about 50% of student enjoyed the Physical education classes and rest seems it boring subject.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….... Introduction:-
Physical activity is an important aspect of any health promotion program, and lack of it is a primary risk factor for many lifestyle-related diseases. Promoting health and physical activity is the responsibility of a number of agencies and institutions, and schools are central to most policies. Moreover, school responses to the physical activity and health needs of society have traditionally been reflected through physical education (PE) in most countries across the world.
Physical Education refers to the process of education that concerns activities which develop and maintain the human body. It is recognized as "an education through the physical activities for the total development of the total personality of the child to its fullness and perfection in body, mind and spirit". Physical Education is the process by which changes in the individual are bought about through movement's experiences. Physical Education aims not only at physical development but is also concerned with education of the whole person through physical activities. Physical education provides awareness and learning attitude for the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual development of the human personality. Attitudes can be defined as affective feelings of liking or disliking toward an object (which can be basically anything) that has an influence on behavior. According to Don Forsyth "an attitude is not a feeling, cognition, or a form of behavior; instead, attitudes combine all three components in an "integrated affect-cognition-behavior system." Attitudes are either positive or negative. A predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation, Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards.

Review of Literature:-
Macintosh and Albinson (1982) compared the attitudes of two groups of 8th-grade students (13-14 years of age): those taking a physical education class and those not taking one. They found that students who choose not to take physical education reported having a less positive attitude toward physical education and as having less fun.

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Lakshmi and Singh (1991) examined potential determinants of male and female high school students' attitudes toward physical education. They identified five main determinants of attitude: curriculum content, teacher behavior, class atmosphere, student self-perceptions, and facilities. Both male and female students identified these determinants in the same order. Singh et al. also identified related factors contributing to negative feelings toward physical education. These factors included boredom with activities, not wanting to get sweaty, not wanting to dress out, and the perception that athletes received preferential treatment.
Stewart and Green (1991) examined the attitudes of 1,049 males and 1,081 females' from junior high and high school students in physical education. Participated in the study were selected from two middle and high schools in the Midwest. Students completed a 66-item survey created by Edgington (1968) representing attitudes toward physical education in fitness development, skill development, cognitive development, affective development and social development. Students were given four Likert Scale (1-4) response options: strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. Many similar studies allow students to respond with a neutral feeling, however, this was eliminated to force students to make a positive or negative choice. Campbell (2002) studied the attitude of 199 students of the Texas Austin University to Hudge. The attitude of students (women) towards physical education by employing wear attitude inventory. A questionnaire having 30 statements was administered on a JBM answer sheet. Result suggested that the subject had favorable attitude towards physical education.

Results, Discussion and Findings:-
The analysis revealed that in previous session only 48% male and 58% female students enjoyed the physical education classes and 15% male and 17% female did not enjoyed the classes. Students were asked to add their reasons for enjoying and for not enjoying the Physical Education classes; gave different reasons for enjoying the Physical Education classes. 30% male and 20% female students who enjoyed Physical Education classes reasoned it "to love for sports"; 15% male and 15% female students wanted "to gain knowledge" about Physical Education; 17% male and 30% female students wanted "to learn skills" and 13% male and 5% female students enjoyed the classes because of the "way of teaching" of their teacher.
Students gave different reasons for not enjoy the Physical Education classes during last session the main reason were (i) Physical Education a boring subject 25% male and 14% female; (ii) it causes injuries 25% male and 29% female; students said that they did not enjoy the classes because of the (iii) way of teaching of their teacher 8% male and 29% female and 17% male attributed to some other reasons for not enjoying the Physical Education classes.
The result for efforts made in Physical Education classes, revealed that 40% male and 40% female students made positive effort in Physical education classes, and 38% male and 38% female made less effort in classes, out of which 44% male and 25% female students tried hard because they thought that it helps them to maintain their health; 13% male and 19% female wants to improve their game skills; 9% male and 19% female students said that it is a interesting subject. The students who did not tried hard in the classes students said that it is a boring subject 43% male and 27% female, it can cause injuries to them 23% male and 15% female, students said that trying hard in Physical Education is just a wastage of time 17% male and 20% female and 10% male and 27% female students said that they did not tried hard because of some other reasons.
Only 62% (180) male and 55% (110) female students brought their playing kit for most of the classes and only 23% male and 20% female students did not bring their playing kit to Physical Education classes. The reasons given by the students 22% male and 63% female were illness or injuries; 11% male and 25% female forget their playing kit, and 11% male students gave some other reasons.
The data pertaining to regularity in class indicated that 75% students took part in most or all of their Physical Education classes, and only 10% students missed about half, or more of the classes. Near about half of the students (40% male and 50% female) missed the classes because of injuries or illness; one third missed it because they forgotten the playing kit and rest of the subjects (20%) deliberately avoided the Physical Education classes.
15% male and 25% female students said that they were affected by some long time illness or disability that affects their participation or enjoyment of physical education classes. 42% male and 50% female were affected by fracture 160 or dislocation; 33% male and 40% female students affected by their physical weakness and 25% male and 10% female students were affected by some other health related problems.
The response of subjects regarding their ability at physical education in general, 25% male and 25% female students thought that they were good and only 10% male and 10% female students thought that they were poor at Physical Education in general. Whereas large number of students 65% male and 65% female students said that their suitability for Physical Education class depended on the activity to be performed.
In response to the factors that encourage or discourage the students from physical education classes, majority of the students (87% male and 84% female) students were encouraged by "working with friends"; "being competitive" (50%) "being artistic or creative" (62%) "playing games" (47%); male students were also encouraged by "being in a class with Boys" (72%) and "having a male teacher" (65% male); in case of girls "being in a class with girls" encourages 75% of girls and "having a female teacher" encourages 55% girls.
An equal number of male and female (42%) students were discouraged by "Doing sport in front of other people"; more than half of the students (60% male and 60% female) students said that "doing Physical Education outside in cold weather" discourages them; 32% male and 32% female students said that "wearing the proper playing kit" discourages them; 50% of the female students were discouraged by the presence of boys in the class. "Family support" (15%) male and (23%) female students was also considered encourage for participation where as "injuries, fatigue or illness were (40 male and 30 female) considered as discouraging factors.
Responses of students regarding their experience in physical education classes revealed that majority of students 90% agreed that they had fun in physical Education classes. "They make new friends"; more than "it keeps them fit" and healthy and maintain their body shape and they learn how to keep fit, healthy and how to control their body shape; they learn skills in Physical Education classes. On the other hand half of the students (50% male and 50% female) students disagreed that they felt tiredness in Physical Education classes. And 58% male and 58% female students disagreed with "feel bad because they get tired".
Students were asked to add their feelings about Physical Education classes, 520 students added positive feelings and only 80 students added negative feelings. In positive feelings 20% male and 18% female students felt that Physical Education is an interesting subjects; 20% male and 29% female students felt that it provides knowledge about various games; 14% male and 32% female students felt that it keeps them psychologically fit and 6% male students gave some other positive feelings.
In negative feelings 50% male and 40% female students felt that Physical Education is a boring subject; 30% male and 33% female students felt that it is just wastage of time and 20% male and 27% female students felt that it has no scope in future.
When students were asked to list three activities they would like to participate during Physical Education classes, Cricket, Football, Volleyball, KhoKho, and Badminton were the activities especially liked by the students in Physical Education classes. Reasons for liking these activities were-recreation, fitness, good ability, and some other reasons they were also asked to list three activities they would not like to do in Physical Education classes and also mention their reason for disliking these activities, Boxing, Kabaddi, and Swimming are some activities given by the students they did not like to do. Boardence, injuries, and poor ability were the reasons for not liking these activities.
When the feelings towards Physical Education with changing in time was analyzed, It was found that most of them start enjoying Physical Education in High schools (71% male and 72% female); 50% male and 63% female students said that they but their best affording in Physical Education in High school and 60% male and 42% female said that they brought their playing kit regularly in High schools and took part in classes.
When the students were asked about their lunch time or after school sports club activities at their school 87% male and 85% female students said that there is no such facility available at their school. Cricket, Football, Kho-kho, and Badminton were the activities which the students will fallow in coming years.

Conclusion:-
During the present study it was concluded that throughout the study, the male folk shows more attraction towards Physical education and they enjoyed the sports activities thoroughly. Moreover they were attentive in getting more knowledge and practice in the particular game. Among the female folk the student feel hesitation in sports activities, some were given the religious reason and some were ignoring the questionnaire. It was observed that the School students are lacking the basic knowledge about the physical education and there should be proper curriculum about the physical education. The researcher concludes with the following suggestions.