Impact of Distance Learning in an Online Environment on Physical Performance in High School Boys

Abstract

One of the tasks of physical education in the different grades of the Bulgarian school is the purposeful development of motor skills and achieving an optimal level of physical activity for every age group. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a change in the way students are taught and the conduct of their physical education classes. In this regard, the aim of our research is to reveal the impact of one year of training in an online environment on the physical fitness of high school students. To achieve this goal, we conducted our research twice (at the beginning and end of the 2021/2022 school year) and tested 39 students (boys) from the “Peter Beron” high school for foreign language teaching - the city of Montana. We conducted the research through the national system for evaluating the physical fitness of students, which includes the tests of running 30 meters, long jump from a place with both feet, throwing a solid ball, running 200 meters shuttle run, and T-test. We applied a variation and comparative analysis to the data from the two tests. Results showed a positive change in the following tests: throwing a solid ball, long jump from a place with both feet, and the 200m shuttle run. In the other two tests, there was no improvement in results.