Elevers selvbestemte motivasjon i kroppsøvingsfaget : betydningen av foreldrestøtte og fysisk aktivitet på fritiden

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to find possible explanations for students’ self-determined motivation in physical education. The basic variables looked at are: parental support, participation in physical activity at leisure time and activity level. This study was done in connection with the project "Moderne ungdom på fritiden", a study to determine what activities youth undertake during their spare time. The study included (n=2055) students representing 38 schools in Norway. Data collection was done through a quantitative survey. The results showed that the variables 1) parental support 2) participation in physical activity at leisure time and 3) activity level predicted higher levels of self-determined motivation in physical education. Participation in organized sports and unorganized physical activity are both contexts that have a positive association with students' motivation. Based on the results of the study, it is reasonable to assume that the transition from not being active to being active is more important than any increase in activity level. Keywords: Self-determination theory, physical education, physical activity, parental support