Acta Univ. Palacki. Olomuc., Gymn. 2010 40(4): 7-14

Comprehensive test in school physical education at secondary schools in the Czech Republic - Standardization and verification

Jana Vašíčková, Filip Neuls, Karel Frömel

Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University, Olomouc

Background: Physical education is at present oriented to the practical realization of physical activities (PA); less time is devoted to the acquisition of certain knowledge about the importance of PA and other necessary information about a healthy lifestyle and nutrition.

Objective: The main aim of the study is to penetrate the knowledge sphere of students in the field of a physically active lifestyle and health and thus to standardize the comprehensive test in a Czech environment. Further, to compare test results among the types of schools, classes and gender.

Methods: For testing knowledge about health and PA, we designed a comprehensive test that was distributed at 10 secondary schools in the Czech Republic (two vocational schools and eight grammar schools). We obtained tests from 192 boys and 224 girls (15 to 19 year olds) who completed the test twice: as a pre-test and after five weeks as a post-test in 2008-2009. In total, we gathered 832 tests.

Results: The reliability coefficient (half split method) was rtt = 0.527 (p < 0.01). Cronbach's alpha of inner consistency was r = 0.627. Neither boys nor girls reached 50% of the correct answers in the test. No difference has been found between gender in the pre-test; in the post-test a significant difference was found, which was confirmed also by the effect size (d = 0.35). Grammar school students (d = 0.87) and students from higher classes (d = 0.47) had better knowledge about health and PA when compared to vocational school students and first year students.

Conclusions: The comprehensive test can be used mainly for research, comparison and as a part of a complex scientific survey. Grammar school students and older students scored better on the test, we did not find any gender differences. Students reached the lowest score in the nutritional and educational sphere. Practical use of the comprehensive test can encourage pupils and students to think about their own healthy lifestyle. In order to change pupils' physical behavior we may involve pupils more and use, for instance, pedometers for step monitoring.

Keywords: Reliability, content validity, physical activity, gender, grammar school, vocational school, knowledge

Prepublished online: May 10, 2011; Published: September 1, 2010  Show citation