| The study examined three levels of conceptual learning in Physical Education and the effects on students' psychological values towards physical activity. Middle and high school students from conceptual (N=107), wellness (N=174), and eclectic (N=63) curricula models represented high, moderate, and low levels of exercise science and health concept learning, respectively. Students voluntarily completed modified Trans-Contextual Model questionnaires to demonstrate 10 psychological variables towards physical activity and Physical Education. Analysis of variance and post hoc tests revealed conceptual learning students reported significantly lower motivation in leisure-time settings than wellness students (p<0.05). Conceptual students reported significantly lower perceived autonomy support from Physical Education teachers than both wellness and eclectic students (p<0.05). No significant differences existed between wellness and eclectic students. The results indicate that low or moderate levels of concept learning foster greater student autonomy. Future research should determine the acute and chronic effects of curricula and teaching methods on student autonomy. |
