The impact of teaching values through physical education and sports programme : an exploratory study

Sports are suggested to be one of the best vehicles for values inculcation and personal development among individuals including children. The values learnt through sports participation are believed to be applicable not only in sports per se, but can be transferred to non-sports setting as well. However, little research has examined the strategies to teach values through sports and promote transfer of values among children. Taking this into consideration, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a structured values-driven training programme designed for use in Physical Education (PE) and sports Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) by teacher-coaches, as well as to determine the consequential transferability of values and its constitutional factors. Qualitative interviews and focus groups discussions were conducted with 38 participants (6 teacher-coaches and 32 student-athletes) from the ‘Teaching Values through PE and Sports’ programme. Thematic analysis of the data revealed results indicating that: (a) teacher-coaches acquired pedagogical strategies and reinforcements in motivation for teaching values while student-athletes demonstrated learning and application of values through purposeful activities planned and conducted within the sports context, (b) 78% of student-athletes applied the values learnt through PE and sports in non-sports setting, and (c) explicit explanation by teacher-coaches and parental influence facilitated the transferability of values whereas time constraints and lack of ownership of values were hindering factors. These results are discussed with reference to determining appropriate approaches for infusing values acquisition in PE and sports CCA participation, and improving the effectiveness and practicality of structured values-driven training programmes.Bachelor of Science (Sport Science and Management