A Description and Comparison of the Level of Achievement of Physical Education Goals among Male High School Students

ABSTRACT: The positive role and value of physical education as part of the regular school curriculum is evident for providing health, creating good spirit and joyfulness, stimulating the mind, teaching motor skills, developing motor and sports abilities, and most often shaping the personality of students.The purpose of the present research was to compare the level of achievement of physical education goals among male high school students. The population of the research consisted of all the students (n=26767) of high schools in Zanjan Province during the period 2008-2009; using Cochran’s formula, the sample size was calculated as 375. Tin order to attain this purpose, we used the Physical Education Course Questionnaire (questions for evaluating the level of achievement of emotional and cognitive development), physical fitness tests (modified AAHPERD Physical Fitness Test), and sports skills tests (dribbling and shooting at the goal in football, controlled dribbling in basketball, and setting and bumping in volleyball). T-test for correlated samples, one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffe’s post hoc test were applied for data description. The findings revealed that there is a significant difference between the first, second, and third grade students of rural high schools in physical development (p=0.025) and neuromuscular development (p=0.001); further, there is a significant difference between the first, second, and third grade students of urban high schools in neuromuscular development (p=0.001) and cognitive development (p=0.001). Moreover, there is no significant difference between the first, second, and third grade students of rural high schools in affective development (p=0.74) and cognitive development (p=0.05); finally, in the urban sector, there is no significant difference between these three grades in physical development (p=0.45) and affective development (p=0.79).