Research Article

Sports Culture Among Students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University

Mahmoud Almomani* and Mohammad Almomani

Department of Health Sciences and Well-Being, School of Nursing and Health Studies University of Sunderland, England

Submission: December 17, 2023; Published: January 11, 2024

*Corresponding author: Mahmoud Almomani, Faculty of Health Sciences and Well-Being, School of Nursing and Health Studies University of Sunderland, England

How to cite this article: Mahmoud Almomani* and Mohammad Almomani. Sports Culture Among Students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University. J Phy Fit Treatment & Sports. 2024; 10(4): 555793. DOI: 10.19080/JPFMTS.2024.10.555793

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the level of sports culture among students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University. A descriptive methodology was employed, and the study’s population included all students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University in the first semester of the academic year 2022/2023, totaling 1,591 male and female students. The study sample consisted of 561 students, representing 38% of the study population. A questionnaire was developed to assess the students’ sports culture across six domains: ethical values and sportsmanship, health, physical fitness, sports history, skill performance, and camping and wilderness activities. The study instrument’s reliability was established, with a total stability coefficient of 0.93. Descriptive statistics, standard deviation, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were employed to analyze the data.

The findings indicated that the level of sports culture among students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University was of moderate magnitude in all domains, with an overall mean score of 3.32, representing a relative significance of 64.60%. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in sports culture based on gender (p ≤ 0.05). However, differences were observed between first year and fourth-year students in the domains of health, physical fitness, and skill performance, favouring the fourth-year students. The students’ moderate level of sports culture in camping and wilderness activities (2.91) was attributed to the absence of relevant academic courses, limited scouting equipment within the university, infrequent scouting camps, a lack of educational courses and brochures promoting the importance of scouting and wilderness activities, as well as insufficient encouragement for students to engage actively in scouting and to promote community service.

Keywords: Sports Culture; Students; Physical Education; Yarmouk University; Cognitive Aspects

Introduction

Culture is a reflection of society, indicating its development and uniqueness compared to other societies. It encompasses the societal heritage, values, beliefs, history, and the intellectual and cultural level of individuals. Sports culture is an integral part of the general culture and is as important as other cultures in society, such as health, education, and social culture. The practice and observation of sports activities play a significant role in shaping and developing these cultures [1]. Define sports culture as a set of social, educational, and health values related to sports concepts. These values contribute to creating optimal behaviour, thoughts, and cultural norms for individuals in the field of sports and other societal domains.

Sports culture encompasses various sciences, knowledge, information, and arts acquired from different sports activities. Individuals acquire these cultural aspects from their environment and through their unique experiences, whether through observation, practice, or reading about these sports activities [2]. Educational institutions and universities have shown an increasing interest in integrating culture into their curricula. They aim to blend different branches of knowledge to preserve societal values and cultural heritage, nurturing individuals and helping them adapt to their surrounding environments [3]. The difference between societies is often attributed to their culture and the type of education provided, making it essential for communities to instill their basic culture and upbringing principles in their younger generations [4].

In modern times, sports play significant roles within the social framework. From a societal perspective, sports are not mere pastimes; they are essential for health and civilization. To advance society and unleash its creativity in the era of the knowledge and information revolution, sports are a necessary requirement [5]. Sports culture is a vital foundation for the development of physical education and sports. It symbolizes a distinct cultural and intellectual facet, and it is essential for everyone to understand how to engage in sports. The role of sports culture should not be underestimated, particularly among young people, as it represents a significant demand for them [6]. University students should possess a sufficient sports culture that stimulates their desire and motivation to engage in various sports activities.

This culture should guide them on how to participate in sports and how to sustain their participation through purposeful and planned training. University students are known for their surplus energy, vitality, speed, eagerness, dissatisfaction, and enthusiasm, necessitating increased motivation for engaging in diverse sports activities to harness this energy effectively [7]. Sports culture encompasses a range of social, educational, and health values associated with sports concepts. It contributes to creating optimal behaviour, thoughts, cultural norms, and individual characteristics, bridging the gap between physical activities and important educational tools [8]. Sports culture is a unique facet of general culture, blending physical and moral aspects into a single entity. It plays a vital role in providing behavioral models that individuals in society should adhere to. The dynamic nature of sports culture includes theoretical developments, consolidated laws, and various systems that contribute to providing guidelines for individuals in society. Sports culture combines humanistic and natural sciences, intertwining physical and moral aspects into a unified entity that assists in developing societal members [9].

The cultural aspect of sports plays a pivotal role in the cultural development of university students. Sports culture encompasses knowledge, values, attitudes, and behaviors related to students’ participation in various sports activities. The substantial scientific and technological advancements of the 21st century have led to an immense information technology revolution in the field of culture in general and a knowledge inflation in particular [10,11]. Sports are beloved by people of all ages, backgrounds, and social levels. Engaging in sports contributes to creating emotionally and physically healthy individuals characterized by altruism, selfsacrifice, cooperation, and collaboration [12].

Importance of the Study

Assessing the Sports Culture Level: The study aims to determine the level of sports culture among students majoring in physical education at Yarmouk University. This assessment provides a baseline for understanding the cultural background of these students, which is essential for developing targeted interventions and educational strategies. Enhancing Cultural Enrichment: By focusing on the content of academic courses, the study seeks to enrich students’ cultural knowledge. The enhancement of sports culture can have a substantial and positive impact on raising awareness, mitigating undesirable behaviors, and highlighting the role of media and communication channels in revising sports philosophy and policies based on scientific criteria. Specialized experts in physical education should play a pivotal role in monitoring and guiding the curriculum in physical education faculties, as well as disseminating this knowledge through various media outlets. Addressing the Lack of Sports Culture: It is evident that there is a significant deficiency in sports culture among students. This research aims to contribute to raising awareness and promoting sports culture among students in various dimensions, including personal, physical, health, and social aspects.

Research Problem

The issue of sports culture holds immense importance in the development of the social, educational, health, and cognitive aspects of individuals who either observe or engage in sports activities. Students majoring in physical education at Yarmouk University come from diverse cultural backgrounds, each with its own customs, traditions, beliefs, and ideologies. These differences can significantly influence their sports culture and sporting identities.

As an observant and practicing student within the physical education program at this university, I have noticed several drawbacks in the behaviour of physical education students, including a lack of physical activity and poor dietary habits leading to unhealthy eating practices. Therefore, the research problem in this study revolves around answering questions related to the level of sports culture among students majoring in physical education at Yarmouk University. It also seeks to explore the relationships between sports culture levels and different variables such as gender and academic year. This research problem highlights the need to address and understand these issues comprehensively, fostering a culture of sports and physical well-being among the students to help them lead healthier lives and become positive role models for their communities.

Study Objectives

The objectives of this study are as follows:

Assessing Sports Culture Levels: This study aims to assess the level of sports culture among students majoring in physical education at Yarmouk University, with a focus on various dimensions, including moral values and sportsmanship, health, physical fitness, the history of sports, skill performance, and sports camps. Identifying Differences in Sports Culture: The study also seeks to identify statistically significant differences in sports culture levels among students in the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University based on variables such as gender and academic year.

Research Questions

The research questions guiding this study are:

What is the level of sports culture among students in the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University concerning the study dimensions (moral values and sportsmanship, health, physical fitness, the history of sports, skill performance, and sports camps)? Are there statistically significant differences in sports culture levels among students in the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University based on variables (gender and academic year) at a significance level of α ≤ 0.05?

Review of Previous Studies

Several prior studies have investigated the topic of sports culture and its related factors. A review of some relevant studies is provided below:

Conducted a study to determine the awareness level among students at Al-Qadisiya University, revealing statistically significant differences by gender, favoring female students, and by academic year, favoring fourth-year students. Explored the level of sports culture and its relationship with sports identity among physical education students at An-Najah National University. They found that students exhibited high levels of sports culture and sports identity. The study also highlighted a positive, statistically significant relationship between sports culture and sports identity. Studied the cultural identity of physical education students and determined that their cultural identity levels were high. The research did not identify statistically significant differences in cultural identity based on academic level or place of residence. Examined the role of watching sports satellite channels in promoting sports culture at Yarmouk University. The study revealed that sports channels played a significant role in disseminating sports culture, with a focus on the cognitive and social aspects. Significant gender-based differences were observed in the cognitive aspect, favoring male students.

Investigated the relationship between sports culture, psychological, and social compatibility among fifth-year students at the Institute of Teacher Preparation in Diyala. The results indicated a statistically significant relationship between sports culture and psychological and social compatibility among physical education students, with significant differences in sports culture levels favoring students majoring in physical education compared to students in other faculties. These previous studies have provided valuable insights into sports culture and related factors, serving as a foundation for the current research.

Methodology

This study employed a survey research methodology to evaluate the sports culture level among male and female students in Yarmouk University’s Faculty of Physical Education, aligning the chosen methodology with the research’s nature. The study encompassed a population of 1,591 students enrolled in the Faculty of Physical Education. From this population, a sample of 600 students was selected, including 249 males and 351 females, representing various academic years. The study investigated independent variables, gender (male or female), and academic year (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior), while the dependent variable consisted of students’ responses to a questionnaire assessing their sports culture level. The questionnaire contained 45 items distributed across six dimensions: moral values, health, physical fitness, sports history, skill performance, and sports camps. Data collection occurred between November 15, 2022, and November 5, 2022, during the first semester of the 2022/2023 academic year. The study adhered to temporal, spatial, and human determinants, commencing data collection in the first semester of 2022/2023 at the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University. Rigorous psychometric testing was conducted on the research instrument, ensuring content validity through expert reviews, and yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.91, as calculated by Cronbach’s alpha.

Statistical Analysis

Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Analysis System (SΑSS). Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were computed. To investigate statistically significant differences, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to compare means between groups, along with the Scheffe post hoc test for pairwise comparisons.

Results

The first question addressed in this study pertained to the level of sports culture among students in the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University according to the study dimensions, which encompassed moral values and sportsmanship, health, physical fitness, the history of sports, skill performance, and sports camps. To answer this question, the arithmetic means, standard deviations, and relative importance of the statements representing the sports culture dimensions were calculated. The details of these calculations are presented in Tables (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Table (1) shows that the overall mean for the level of sports culture in the moral values and sportsmanship dimension was at a moderate level (3.33) with a relative importance of (66.60). The first three statements achieved a high level, while the remaining statements were at an average level. (Table 2) indicates that the overall average for the level of sports culture related to the health dimension was at a moderate level (3.29) with a relative importance of 65.80. The first and second statements obtained a high level, while the rest of the statements were at a moderate level. Table (3) demonstrates that the overall average for the sports culture level in terms of physical fitness was at a moderate level (3.24) with a relative importance of 64.80. The first and second statements received a high level, while the remaining statements were at a moderate level. Table (4) reveals that the overall average for the level of sports culture concerning the history of sports was at a moderate level (3.12) with a relative importance of 62.40. The first phrase obtained a high level, while the remaining phrases were at a moderate level.

(Table 5) shows that the overall average for the level of sports culture related to the skill performance dimension was at a moderate level (3.10) with a relative importance of 62.00. The first statement obtained a high level, while the remaining statements were at a moderate level. Table 6 illustrates that the overall average for the level of sports culture in the dimension of camps and outdoor games was at a moderate level (2.91) with a relative importance of 58.20. The first statement obtained a high level, while the rest of the statements were at a moderate level. (Table 7) shows that the overall average of the sports culture level among students of the Faculty of Physical Education was at a moderate level (3.17) with a relative significance of (63.40). The second question inquires whether there are statistically significant differences, with a significance level of α ≤ 0.05, in the sports culture level among students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University based on variables such as gender and academic year. (Tables 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) are likely used to present the statistical results and findings related to these differences.

Table (8) indicates the absence of statistically significant differences at a significant level of p ≤ 0.05 in the sports culture level among students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University attributed to the gender variable. The t-test values ranged between 2.15 and 2.85, and the significance level (p ≤ 0.05) was observed across all areas of sports culture. Table (9) indicates the presence of differences between the arithmetic means of the sports culture domains among students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University attributed to the variable of academic year. To determine whether there are statistically significant differences at a significant level of p ≤ 0.05 between the arithmetic means, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied, and Table (11) explains this. Table (10) indicates the presence of statistically significant differences at a significance level of α ≤ 0.05 in the level of sports culture among the students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Yarmouk University based on the variable “academic year.” To identify the sources of these differences, Scheffe’s post hoc test for pairwise comparisons was used, and Table (11) illustrates this. Table (11) shows statistically significant differences at the significance level of p ≤ 0.05 in the level of sports culture among students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University attributed to the academic year variable in the areas of health, physical fitness, and skill performance between firstyear students and fourth-year students, in favor of fourth-year students.

Discussion

The results of the study demonstrated the students’ interest in ethical values and sportsmanship, which are considered essential aspects of sports culture. This interest was reflected through an examination of the academic courses that encompass these values. A study emphasized the significance of ethical values and sportsmanship in assessing the level of sports culture, which reflects the role of sports in educating the youth in various physical, psychological, and health aspects, among others. The results also revealed shortcomings in highlighting the impact of sports on health and their role in preventing and treating modern lifestyle diseases (sedentary diseases). Furthermore, the study identified a lack of educational seminars at the university that emphasize the importance of sports for health. Additionally, there is an absence of training courses for students within the university on first aid for diseases and injuries, as well as methods of prevention and treatment. Researchers such as have emphasized the significant role of media in raising awareness of the importance of sports and its positive impact on maintaining the community’s health.

The researcher concurs with [13], who argue that students’ lack of interest in acquiring information related to physical fitness and its impact on various domains (health, psychology, physical fitness, etc.) is primarily due to the majority of students’ focus on football-related information. Also, the failure to explain to students the importance of all elements of physical fitness and how to develop them through courses they are taking, such as gymnastics, aerobics, rhythm, etc., focusing only on one or two elements of physical fitness and neglecting the rest. The researcher believes that the college lacks informative boards to introduce the regulations and rules related to various sports activities and lacks illustrative drawings of sports or physical fitness elements. The researcher also notes that the absence of courses related to the philosophy of physical education and its history in the college’s curriculum, which includes various sports culture areas such as philosophical trends, ancient and modern Olympic games, and the evolution of sports from ancient times to the present, has contributed to the decline in students’ sports culture. According to [14] the weak sports culture among university students is attributed to the media’s failure to spotlight sports champions and celebrities in various sports disciplines, with a predominant focus on football players. The researcher believes that the increase in the number of university students, coupled with insufficient sports facilities within the university during class hours and overcrowding of the academic schedule with lectures, has led to a lack of enthusiasm among students for engaging in sports activities on campus. The researcher agrees that students’ study of theoretical and practical courses, as well as following social media platforms and sports channels, contributes to the development of their sports culture. The reason behind students reaching an average level (2.91) of sports culture in the field of camps and outdoor games is attributed to the absence of academic courses related to outdoor games and camps. Additionally, there is a shortage of scouting tools and devices within the university, a lack of regular camps in the scouting field, and a scarcity of educational courses and publications to introduce the importance of scouting life and outdoor games. Also, there is a lack of encouragement for students to actively engage in scouting and to understand the importance of community service.

The researcher concurs with [15] that the available visual and non-visual communication means in the college do not differentiate between genders in obtaining information. Moreover, most of the theoretical and practical courses involve mixed-gender classes, and equal opportunities are provided for both genders to empower all students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University to educate themselves. The researcher attributes the differences in the level of sports culture among students in the areas of health, physical fitness, and skill performance to the academic year variable, favoring fourth-year students. First-year students may find it challenging to adapt easily to practical courses due to a fear of underperforming, and most of the theoretical courses they study in the first year are general university requirements. In contrast, fourth-year students have gained more theoretical and practical experiences through their academic courses and field training in schools, fitness and health centers, or sports clubs.

The study aligns with (16) in emphasizing that students at the college need guidance towards the available sources of cultural information in all its forms. Many students have ambitions to develop themselves and enhance their sports skills through practicing within the university or through sports clubs outside the university, compared to other students who rely solely on the information provided in their academic courses.

Conclusions

The overall mean score for sports culture among students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University was 3.32, with a relative importance of 64.60%. The results showed no statistically significant differences at the significance level of p ≤ 0.05 in the level of sports culture among students based on the gender variable. The sports culture level for students in the areas of ethical values and sportsmanship, health, physical fitness, sports history, skill performance, and camps and outdoor games was of moderate degree. There were no significant differences in the level of sports culture among students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University in the areas of ethical values and sportsmanship, sports history, and camps and outdoor games based on the academic year variable. The reason for students reaching a moderate level (2.91) of sports culture in the field of camps and outdoor games can be attributed to the absence of academic courses related to these activities, as well as the scarcity of scouting tools and devices within the university. Additionally, the lack of regular scouting camps, educational courses, and publications to introduce the importance of scouting life and outdoor games, and the absence of encouragement for students to actively engage in scouting and understand the importance of community service all played a role [17-21].

There were differences in the level of sports culture among students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University in the areas of health, physical fitness, and skill performance based on the academic year variable, favouring fourth-year students. First-year students may find it challenging to adapt to practical courses due to fear of underperforming, and most of the theoretical courses they study in the first year are general university requirements. In contrast, fourth-year students have acquired more theoretical and practical experiences through their academic courses and field training in schools, fitness and health centers, or sports clubs. The study aligns with in emphasizing that students at the college need guidance towards the available sources of cultural information in all its forms, as many students have ambitions to develop themselves and enhance their sports skills through practicing within the university or through sports clubs outside the university, compared to other students who rely solely on the information provided in their academic courses.

Recommendations

• Prioritize increasing educational programs, seminars, workshops, and courses within the college to enhance sports culture.

• Encourage students to actively participate in sports activities at the university.

• Activate the role of the university’s Center for Studies, Consultation, and Community Service in promoting sports culture for university students and the local community.

• Disseminate sports culture through sports channels, media, and various communication methods.

• Develop sports to meet the scientific and technological advancements in various fields.

• Enhance the culture of physical activity among all members of the community.

Study Limitations

The study has several limitations. Firstly, the researcher chose a convenience random sampling method for the study’s sample. Secondly, the results can only be generalized to the targeted participants and the same location (i.e., students at the College of Physical Education at Yarmouk University). Lastly, the study’s results relied on the participants’ perspectives.

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