Students' opinion about Physical Education according to age

A Secondary Education student's opinion about Physical Education is an extremely interesting subject for teachers. There are numerous variables that determine this opinion. In our research, we have analysed how the student's age (12-13 and 14-15 years old) is related to other aspects of Physical Education: the importance and interest the student pays to Physical Education, doing extracurricular physical/sport activities and the context where these activities are done (clubs or on his/her own). To do this we have used the CAPAEF (Questionnaire for Analysing Students' Opinions in Physical Education) written for this research, applying it to a sample of 1,499 students in the first and second cycle of Secondary Education in the Region of Murcia in the academic year 2003-4. To analyse the results, we have compiled descriptive statistics of all the variables and we have done an analysis of independence between variables using Pearson's Chi-square tests and finally a corrected classified residual analysis. The main conclusions we have reached are: 12-13-year-old students like Physical Education more than 14-15-year-old students do, finding it very important and useful, as it helps them to relate with others and be more intelligent. Physical Education is above all competitive and fun for 1213- year-old students, which is why the most important contents are Physical Condition and Health, Games and Sports and Activities in the natural environment. On the other hand, Self-expression through Movement is not considered in the same way. 12-13-year-old students like the teacher to be good, happy, fair, encourage them and correct them in class and wear sports clothes.