Assessment of Factors Influencing Undergraduate Students’ Choice of Physical Education as a Career Subject: a Case of the University of Nairobi

Abstract

Sedentary lifestyle is on top of the list of the leading risk factors for death worldwide. Physical Education is one of the subjects that provides good opportunity for students and teachers to participate in physical exercise. Based on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (2006), Physical Education should be included in all learning institutions. Nonetheless, based on studies, the subject is not included in the curriculum in education programs in many parts of the world (Gerald, 2016). Lack of enough and adequately trained Physical Education professionals has been associated with the weak implementation and low status of Physical Education curriculum in institutions. Consequently, this study purposed to assess the factors influencing undergraduate students’ choice of physical education as a career subject at the University of Nairobi. Teachers play an important role in the implementation of a curriculum. The study employed cross-sectional survey design. The independent variables were the social factors (peer influence, parental influence, culture, religious beliefs, prestige), individual factors (skill level, gender, previous exposure to PE, salary), institutional factors (curriculum content, teacher factors, facilities, scholarships, institutional traditions) and attitudes towards studying of PE. The dependent variable was the choice of PE as a career subject. The study was conducted at the University Of Nairobi in the Faculty of Education at Kikuyu campus and Kenya Science Campus. The study sample comprised of 15 female and 75 male students from Kenya Science and 85 male and 94 female students from Kikuyu Campus, 2 lecturers and 2 dean of students. The total sample had 273 participants. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The study generated both qualitative and quantitative data. The data generated by the study was cleaned, coded and entered into computer and analysed by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Quantitative data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies, standard deviation, percentages and means. Qualitative data generated from open-ended items was analysed using themes and discussed according to the research objectives. After analysis the results were presented in descriptive and qualitative form. Concerning attitude, the study indicated 72.7% of the students believed P.E to be one of the most important subjects in the teaching profession, 82.9% indicated that P.E makes university life more enjoyable, 82.8% agreed that P.E has an important position in the modern education, 81.2% indicated that they would advise someone to pursue P.E in the university and 88.1 % indicated that P.E should be one of the subjects taught in the university. Concerning institutional factors, the study found out that 36.7% of the students didn’t have formal PE classes in their previous secondary schools and 31.0% of the students showed that they would have pursue PE as one of their subjects but they lacked practical skills in the field. On individual factors, majority 56.7% said it is easy to find a job in PE, 18% indicated that PE was a difficult subject because it contained a lot of physical activities and 27% indicated that PE is not a well-paying career. On social factors, 44.1% of the students indicated that they were advised by their teachers to pursue the career they were pursuing in the university, 37.5% agreed that they were influenced by their friends and 51% agreed that they were influenced by family members to choose the course they were studying in the university. However, 64% indicated that they chose their career because of prestige. The conclusion of the study was that individual factors such as skill level, gender, salary and past experiences; institutional factors such as curriculum content, facilities and scholarships; and social factors such as peer, parental and prestige influence choice of PE as a career subject. The study recommended further research on the attitude of parents towards PE, the influence of socioeconomic background towards students’ choice of studying physical education and sports. The Ministry of education should employ more adequately trained physical education teachers in secondary schools as they play a big role in nurturing the attitudes of students towards studying P.E in the university. Quality assurance and the standards units should ensure that inspections are done to ensure the policy on teaching of P.E in secondary schools is adhered to.