Study of impact of Physical Education class in college level
on participants’ happiness perception (level)
Abstract
We investigated the interrelationship between random physical
education classes in college and happiness level of the participating students
before and after the class.At the end of the before-and-after-class study, after putting
together data from questionnaires from all the classes, we discovered that
College PE classes maintain and increase the happiness level of both very happy
and quite happy people; not very happy participants become quite happy, meanwhile
unhappy people stay unhappy
Keywords: PE college class, happiness, very happy, quite happy, not
very happy, not happy at all, before and after class
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. INTRODUCTION
In college PE
classes the main attention has always been paid to the physical shape and
health of the students and the impact of physical conditions on their academic
studies.No research has
been done so far in China to evaluate the role of physical activities in
students’ mood and their perception of well-being.In our opinion, if
we want the students to achieve higher academic and social goals they need not
only healthy bodies but also healthy and happy spirits. Of course the
concept of happiness is quite complicated and numerous aspects are involved. This
study is just a trial to shed light on the relationship between physical
activities and perception of "happiness” at a college PE class level.
2. HYPOTHESIS AND PURPOSE
Based on our
previous observation and experience in teaching PE, we had hypnotized that PE
classes increase the students’ mood and give them a feeling of well-being.We decided to
conduct a survey as an observational study to prove or reject this hypothesis
without trying to discuss the core reasons for the outcome. This study is statistically
significant given the large number of participants. We were interested
only in the mood swing before and after the class regardless the students’
major, age, origin, gender, personal life or other individual differences.We also don’t know
how long this mood change would last and weather it would come back later by
just recalling the experiences during the class or not.
3. MATERILAS AND METHODS
The study was done
at Henan Agricultural University in Zhengzhou. Total number of students surveyed was 565. One class lasted for 90 minutes, the participants ages vary between
18 and 22, both males and females.We decided to adopt
the survey system used by the World Values Survey in 1999-2001 Happiness Study.We printed out
questionnaires and divided them divided into four categories as follows1.
Very
happy2.
Quite
happy3.
Not
Very Happy4.
Not
Happy at All We decided to
investigate nine classes, namely Aerobics ( 77 participants ), Lawn Tennis ( 59
), Dance ( 56 ), Volleyball ( 36 ), Soccer ( 54 ), Soft Dance ( 83 ), Wu Shu (
52 ), Basketball ( 63 Grade One ), Basketball ( 84 Grade Two ).We asked the
participants’ to tick in the bar in the questionnaire which would most closely
reflect their inner spiritual state right before the class.We repeated the
same procedure right after they finished the class before leaving the
playground.The participants
weren’t required to input their names or any personal information and they
weren’t required to give any explanation regarding their emotions and reasons.
4. RESULTS
We were familiar
with a study by World Values Survey which found out that the average Happiness
Level (percentage of Very Happy people) for the modern Chinese society amounted
to 25%.In our case, the
same happiness level before the class was established at 15%, much
lower than the average level in the country, but after the class the happiness
level rose up to 45.66%.The comparatively low
happiness level before the class and the threefold rise after the class was
truly stunning, it surpassed all our expectations.For comparison, according
to the above-mentioned study the average happiness index in Iceland was 42%,
the US - 39%, UK - 38%, Japan - 23%, Russia - 6%, etc. The number of
not-very-happy and not-happy-at-all students was by one more after the class.
We don’t know and will never know what happened to that student during the
class to make him/her feel unhappy after the class. We know, though, that
he/she was very happy before the class.
5. CONCLUSION AND
DISCUSSION
Based on the data,
gathered during our study we conclude that PE classes at college level sharply
increase the students’ happiness level putting them at a much higher level than
an average Chinese citizen, which will definitely positively affect their
overall progress in studies and feeling of satisfaction in personal and social lives,
45.66% vs. 25%We also concluded
that in spite of all efforts made to provide students with comfortable
environment to study and live on campus, before PE class they feel less happy
than an average Chinese citizen, 15% vs. 25%We are still
unaware of any relationship between feeling of happiness and such factors as
gender, major, PE class type, age, family background etc.
ACKNOLEDGEMENThttp://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_hap_lev_ver_hap-lifestyle-happiness-level-very-happy
