Involvement of Physical Education Teachers in Community Sport as Public Service

Abstract

Community sports are instrumental in strengthening communities because sports are recognized as a valuable tool in fostering developmental experiences with other positive effects to communities. The study investigated the development of community sports as a means for physical education (PE) teachers in China to serve their community. This study was significant in bridging the missing research evidence on the effectivity of community sports and in supporting China’s sports development mission. Using descriptive-comparative-correlational approach, the study surveyed 308 PE general teachers who were mostly female aged 24 years old with 3 years teaching experience. Based on the results, the PE teachers slightly consider involvement in public service in terms of community recreation which indicated that watching local sports leagues can be an opportunity for them not only to share their knowledge in local sports, but also to lead the community members to be involve in local sports for physical and mental health. This study concluded that the PE teachers recognized community sports as satisfactory in providing the recreational development through the helpfulness of sports/pool attendants, community; community development through involvement of residents and members of the community regardless of age, status, and gender, consisting of team games engaging to the sporting participants and the public, consisting of soft motor activities that strengthen the bonds between members and promoting volunteerism among members; educational development through underlining the fact of sports in encouraging wellbeing through free seminars; and health development through assessing the physical health of the players joining the sports community program. Thus, a basis or guideline for community-based sports was suggested, which can be developed and implemented to promote and enhance the level of involvement in the community among PE teachers as the output of the study.