Perceptions of motivational climate, perceived competence, and motivation of students of varying age and sport experience.
This study examined differences in students' motivation in Greek physical education classes depending on age and amount of experience in sport and the extent to which these differences reflected divergent perceptions of competence and classes' motivational climate. 1,393 students responded to questionnaires measuring motivational climate, perceived competence, preference for challenge, interest in the lesson, and perceived importance of the lesson. Students who were not involved in out-of-school sport activities had lower scores on perceived physical competence, perceived learning orientation of the class, preference for challenge, interest in the lesson, and perceived importance of the lesson than students who were involved in organized sport. These differences in students' motivations decreased when scores on perceived learning goals and perceived physical competence were adjusted. Senior high school students (16 yr. old) were much less motivated than junior students (13 yr. old), but these differences were decreased or eliminated when scores on perceived learning orientation were controlled. These results suggest that to increase all students' motivation in physical education, a strong emphasis on personal progress should be adopted.
Papaioannou
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Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000592:standards*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013177:Sports / Q000592:standards*