Future Directions of Physical Education and Sport at the Faculty of Agriculture: an avenue to prevent «the couch potato society»

  • Romana Caput-Jogunica Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb
  • Anamarija Jazbec Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb
  • Sanja Ćurković Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb
  • Ines Jelovčić Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb
Keywords: physical education, sport, interests and attitudes, future directions

Abstract

Important changes in educational system of the Republic of Croatia have motivated the teachers of physical education to design a new curriculum for physical education and sport at the Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb. Guidelines of the new physical education curriculum at university level and the results of research dealing with these issues have been taken as the basis of this research. A questionnaire has been made and applied for that purpose. Making and applying this questionnaire is motivated by practical reasons of determining attitudes, interests and opinions of female and male students regarding physical education classes at the Faculty of Agriculture. Next task of the research is to determine the need for optional sport as elective course for the students at higher study years. The research was conducted on a sample of female and male students (n=233) of the first two years of study at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Zagreb. The results have been analysed by hierarchical cluster analysis (Single linkage minimum method). All analyses and graphic presentations have been done in the statistic package STATISTICA 7.1. and Excel. On the basis of the results the following conclusions can be made: 1. The research showed the need and the importance of regular physical education classes at university, 2. The need for introducing the small amount of theoretical lectures in physical education teaching has been confirmed, 3. Students who participated in the research support introducing optional sport as elective course at higher years of study and the need for ECTS evaluation. 3. Students are conscious of positive effects of physical education classes for health, satisfaction and relaxation, as well as of the influence of such tuition on improving self-confidence, communication and study success.