An analysis of academic learning time in primary physical education classes in the state of Bahrain

Abstract

ABSTRACT : The lack of sufficient data on how time is spent in physical education lessons at primary schools in the State of Bahrain served as the motivating factor for this study. Specifically, the purpose of the investigation was to investigate how primary school students spend their time in physical education lessons. A secondary purpose was to determine whether there were any differences between the ALT-PE scores for teacher gender, teacher qualification, and subject matter being taught. Data were collected during the first term of the 1993-1994 academic year at primary schools in the State of Bahrain. The subjects were forty physical education teachers of both sexes (20 males and 20 females). Each teacher was observed teaching one lesson according to the ALT-PE (Version II) instrument developed by Siedentop et al. (1982). A total of 40 lessons were observed. The interval recording technique employed by ALT-PE was an observe/record format (6-second observe, 6-second record). Three target students were observed in each lesson. A total of 7,200 intervals of data were coded for the subjects. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, percentages and means. These statistical procedures were computed between observational categories in the ALT-PE system to determine how primary students spent their time during physical education lessons. A t-test was computed to test the central questions of the study. The finding revealed that primary physical education lessons in primary schools in Bahrain appear to be characterized by much larger periods of not motor engaged activity (about 70%) rather than motor engaged. Students spent 30% of lesson time in management and transition activities, 22% in knowledge instruction and 20% waiting to participate or take a turn. The students were coded as motor engaged only 32% of the lesson time. The result of this study demonstrated that of the 32% of the time that primary students in the State of Bahrain were actively participating, they were effectively engaged in motor appropriate activities, which reflects the amount of ALT-PE, only 19% of the time. A t-test computed for this study showed that no significant difference was found between the ALT-PE scores of students of male and female teachers. With regard to teacher qualification, a significant difference (p