The Current Practicing States And The Research On Developing Ways Of Rhythmic Gymnastics Optional Courses In Hunan Universities Or Colleges

Rhythmic gymnastics starts comparatively late in China. However, it has been established firmly in physical education syllabuses and corresponding course-books. For the present time, rhythmic gymnastics in universities or colleges does not work successfully, as it is affected by more than one factor in its popularization and spread among people. Some universities or colleges pay less attention to rhythmic gymnastics education; consequently, less labor and money is used for such a purpose. The primary problems now faced in rhythmic gymnastics education are: unexpectedly large number of students, lack of qualified teachers or coaches, inadequate number of sports facilities, and too simple a ground to carry out rhythmic gymnastics education. The present paper is intended to study the practice, affecting factors and of rhythmic gymnastics optional course carried out in universities or colleges. It also examines the developing ways that might facilitate the carrying-out of such a course, in the hope that a standard could be found by which to further develop the education of rhythmic gymnastics in universities or colleges.The findings are listed as follows.(1)During the years 2000-2006, only students in Hunan Normal University and Changsha University of Science and Technology have access to the optional course of rhythmic gymnastics. The increase rate is zero. The rate of opening such kind of optional course ranks as follows: fit exercises, sports dance, figure and body, rhythmic gymnastics. And the increase rate of such a course ranks as follows: sports dance, fit exercises, figure and body, rhythmic gymnastics.Of the 100 teachers or coaches who are engaged in fit-keeping education, there are 24 rhythmic gymnastics teachers or coaches. In 26 Hunan Universities or colleges, 50 percent of them have teachers or coaches for rhythmic gymnastics, which offers a teaching staff for carrying out rhythmic gymnastics education in Hunan Universities and colleges. At the present time, rhythmic gymnastics teachers or coaches in Hunan province are mainly middle-aged with the proportion of 1:3:1 for the old-aged, middle-aged and the young respectively. This fact proves a reasonable age structure group in the sense that they constitute a team that can grow and develop continuously, benefiting the carrying-out of rhythmic gymnastics optional course.According to the questionnaire, among the 26 universities or colleges that are qualified for practicing rhythmic gymnastics optional course in terms of sports ground conditions, there are 23. This provides the needed facilities for such a course. But these facility conditions are relatively weak and there are only two sports grounds for such a purpose. There are 4 universities or colleges that own a whole-set of rhythmic gymnastics apparatus and facilities, which is far from the standard sports ground and building facilities and apparatus supply lists, the 14th document of 1992 issued by the former Physical Education Department of National Education Committee.(2) Four main factors and 18 index are found to influence the carrying-out of rhythmic gymnastics course in Hunan universities or colleges. The four main factors are human factor, dynamic factor, social factor and system factor. And their order of importance is 24.317,18.386,18.094,17.67. This number might be used as a reference to developing rhythmic gymnastics in Hunan universities or colleges.(3) It is of great value for universities or colleges to start the optional course of rhythmic gymnastics in the sense that it might help female university students to improve their ability of competition and adaptation, to enhance their body flexibility and coordination, to better their body functions, to develop their mental health, to improve their ability of telling the true beauty, and to cultivate in them the idea of life-long physical education.(4)The favorable conditions that university or colleges might use to carry out rhythmic gymnastics education express themselves as the following 5 aspects: the favorable conditions of sports ground and facilities, the favorable conditions of teaching staff, the requirements of educational current affairs, the needs of social employment, the sports characteristics of rhythmic gymnastics, the needs of satisfying contemporary female university or college students, the needs of building a healthy mind, the strengthened sense of keeping fit.(5)For the purpose of better carrying out rhythmic gymnastics optional course in universities or colleges, It is in this thesis suggested that the teachers or coaches leading role be practiced, that the courses be paid special attention to, that the propaganda work be strengthened, that more matches be held, that sports ground and facilities or apparatuses be developed, that focus be laid upon the root of keeping fit in the practice of rhythmic gymnastics optional course.