Perception of Preservice Teachers towards Physical Education Curriculum in University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

Abstract:
This study was carried out to determine students’ perception of the Physical Education Curriculum at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Ghana. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to conduct the study. A census sampling technique was used to select level 400 students of the 2022/23 batch from the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (HPERS), UEW, Ghana. The instrument used for data collection was a self-developed questionnaire titled “Physical Education Students Perception Questionnaire (PESPQ)”. The instrument was designed to consist of two sections, i.e., A and B. Section A elicited demographic data of respondents, while Section B was designed in line with the key variables of the study using a modified Likert attitudinal 4-point scale. A panel of three experts in the HPERS Department validated the instrument in terms of content, construction and validity before administration. To establish the instrument’s reliability, ten copies of validated PESPQ were administered to the 2021/2022 cohort in the HPERS department using the test-retest reliability technique, with an r-value of 0.89. A total of 248 copies of the PESPQ were administered to select respondents through their academic counsellor for high percentage returns. Out of 248 questionnaires administered, only 200 copies of PESPQ were properly filled and processed, using version 23 of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The chi-square (χ²) statistical tool was used to draw inferences at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that the perception of students towards the Physical Education curriculum did not significantly differ by sex or by designation. It was further observed that first aid and sports injuries ranked highest on respondents’ perception scale for the ten topmost Physical Education course contents.
Keywords: Perception, Physical Education, Curriculum, Students