A SURVEY OF THE PERSONAL, TECHNICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL PHYSICAL FITNESS VALUES OF SELECTED NORTH CAROLINA PHYSICAL EDUCATORS

This study was designed to provide information concerning some physical fitness/exercise habits, current technical knowledge, and extent of teaching physical fitness principles of the secondary school physical educators in the North Carolina public school system and the possible effects of these traits on the students they teach. The subjects were 36 physical educators and 384 physical education students in grades 9 through 12 who were selected at random. All geographical areas and school size classifications of North Carolina were used and an equal number of subjects were drawn from each area and classification. The mode of inquiry was cross-related questionnaires in order to make direct teacher-student comparisons. The data were descriptively-reported based on percentage analyses. Significance possibilities for statistical analyses were determined at the .05 level. Comparisons were made between male and female physical educators and between teacher and student reportings. The overall findings indicated that the majority of physical educators exercised regularly even though some did not do so long enough or intensely enough to receive physiological benefits. Weight training for personal fitness or for the students' edification appeared to have low priority as a phase of total body fitness. Current technical knowledge of weight training procedures/principles appeared to be remiss. The students observed that physical educators used tobacco products more than they admitted. The majority of physical educators discreetly drank alcoholic beverages. Physical educators had a higher preponderance of bodyfat and lower muscularity based on their own evaluations, student evaluations, and published bodyfat-referenced literature. More male than female physical educators received better ratings from students as physical fitness practitioners, educators, and indoctrinators. The quality and quantity of physical fitness testing were suspect. The principles of warmup, stretching, and cooldown were well-established and well-executed by the educators. The physical educators were lacking in personal and student-education exercise monitoring. The current technical knowledge of physical educators concerning physical fitness terminology, weight control, diet, and body measurement was inadequate. Overall, the total physical fitness education of students in North Carolina public secondary schools as reported by the students seemed to be suspect.