Class-Related Emotions in Secondary Physical Education: A Control-Value Theory Approach
Purpose:
Grounded in control-value theory, a model of students’ achievement emotions in physical education (PE) was investigated.
Methods:
A path analysis tested hypotheses that students’ (N = 529) perceptions of teacher responsiveness, assertiveness, and clarity predict control and value beliefs which, in turn, predict enjoyment and boredom.
Results:
Teacher clarity predicted student control (β = .31; R2= .09) and value (β = .21; R2= .07) beliefs. Value and control beliefs positively predicted enjoyment (β = .71; β = .11; R2 = .58) and negatively predicted boredom (β = -.61; β = -.13; R2 = .47).
Discussion:
Findings provide meaningful information about the source of students’ emotional experiences in PE. The importance of instructional clarity within the model highlights the need for teachers to use a variety of clarifying strategies during instruction. The strong links between value beliefs and emotions suggest teachers need to explicitly discuss the intrinsic and extrinsic worth of PE content.
