Principles and Foundations of Physical Education - Essay Example

This undergraduate Physical Education program aims at enlivening and educating youth for Holistic Lifestyles(Carroll,1994). This mission is achieved holding on to beliefs expressed in the following statements. Physical Education will challenge and strengthen the self. It is a continuous process and has physical, mental and social domains. It recognizes the equality of all. It believes in investing in the participants so that they can get the returns. It believes that total quality can be achieved through competent instructors, infrastructure and technology.

Philosophy of sports is not a static idea. Different peoples had difference approach to sports. The Greco-Roman world wanted wellness with physical skill in the sports training. War was somewhat regular in their experience combat involved physical skill in success and survival. The association of character formation with physical training was not their primary aim.In fact compared to the Greeks , the Romans somewhat neglected physical education for their elite: "In significant contrast with common Greek practice, the Romans of the Republic neglected to provide youths with an organized system of Physical education".

(Lee Too,2001) However, they knew, physical training imparted moral lessons: obedience, discipline and patriotism. In brief they had a philosophy of physical training suited to their needs. The meaning of Philosophy is not static. In the modern sense philosophy is dedicated to finding general principles in local circumstances. In the American context the meaning of philosophy derived from the reflections of great philosopher John Dewey. "This new physical education was grounded on the philosophy of education of American philosopher John Dewey, which emphasized learning-by-doing rather than rote learning and dogmatic instruction.

Dewey also stressed that education must be an exploration of thinking and reflection, an interaction with and an environment for learning, and must be democratic where all share in a common life that provides associational settings."(Sage, 2003, p. xi) Prior to the twentieth century physical education programs in colleges were aimed contributing students health. Instructors in pre-1900 programs were usually medical doctors or individuals holding certificates from department of education.

After 1900 there was increasing tendency to insist on a barralaureate degree for a physical education trainer. This tendency continued and with the end of war more fund was available for sports in colleges and this also gave an impetus. Eventually the global interest in sports promoted also by the media a sports culture became part and parcel of education.Education Aims of Undergraduate Physical Education In the present program the target group is the undergraduate students. Educational aims at each stage of education are different.

This applies to also to physical education. "What may be true of the play of children is not necessarily true of the sport which interests those a dozen or so years older. The sport of men and the play of children are distinct from one another in structure. They have different aims