Beyond compliance: recreational physical activity as a catalyst for lifelong engagement among university students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55040/b9jne593Keywords:
recreational activities, university students, lifelong physical activity, physical education programs, student engagementAbstract
This study investigated the role of recreational physical activity as a catalyst for sustained involvement among university students, within the context of tertiary physical education in the Philippines. The study specifically examined students' perceptions across six developmental domains: lifelong physical activity orientation, physical fitness and functional movement, mental health and stress management, social interaction and values development, personal responsibility and self-management, and relevance to adult life. A quantitative-descriptive design with a comparison element was utilized, including 1,067 university students (Group A = 576; Group B = 491). Data were analyzed with weighted mean, standard deviation, and independent samples t-test. The results demonstrated consistently elevated levels of concordance across all domains (M = 3.23–3.35), suggesting that recreational physical activities significantly impact holistic development and encourage ongoing participation in physical exercise. No significant difference was seen between groups (t = -1.218, p = 0.223), indicating that the benefits are received universally. The findings underscore the necessity of transitioning postsecondary physical education from a compliance-oriented participation framework to a more student-centric, recreational, and lifetime involvement paradigm. The research offers empirical evidence for the improvement of policies and the broadening of curricula in physical education programs at the tertiary level.
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