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International Journal of Basic Sciences & Applied Research. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
Available online at http://www.isicenter.org
ISSN 2147-3749 ©2014
Effects of in Service Educational Courses (General-Professional) on Physical
Education Teachers’ Abilities in Ardabil Province
Hojjat Mardaneh Taleshmekaiel, Hamid Janani*, Amir Dana
Department of Physical Education, College of Human Science, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
*Corresponding Author Email: Janani@iaut.ac.ir
Abstract
The present research aimed at studying in service education courses (general –
professional) on physical education teachers’ abilities in Ardabil province. Research
method was of descriptive-survey type, with its statistical population including all
physical education teachers in Ardabil province (N=410). The volume of evaluated
sample through Morgan table was determined to be 258 individuals selected through
stratified random method. Measuring tools included personal features questionnaire and
a 45-question researcher-made questionnaire on physical education teachers’ abilities
which studied aspects affecting physical education teachers’ abilities in five aspects of
sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-determination, and sense
of reliability. Validity of questionnaires was approved by professors and experts of
sports management and their internal reliability was calculated as being 0.87 through
Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and time reliability coefficient was calculated as being 0.94
through Pearson correlation coefficient. Descriptive statistics method (tables, frequency,
average, standard deviation, and variance) was used for data analysis, and inference
statistics was used after results from Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (normalness), single-
group t- and independent t-tests, continual measuring variance analysis (F test),
Freedman test and Pearson correlation coefficient test. Results showed that in views of
physical education teachers under study, empirical average of all in service education
components (general, professional) effective on physical education teachers’ abilities
were more than average (P<0.05) and sense of reliability and sense of meaningfulness
had greatest effect on abilities of physical education teachers in Ardabil province, where
the component of the sense of self-determination had the least effect. According to the
results, there has been an inverse meaningful relationship (P<0.05) between of Ardabil
province’s physical education teachers’ ages and in service education components
(general, professional), and the extent of effect of professional in service education
courses on teachers’ abilities among women was meaningfully more than in men
(P<0.05). Regarding teaching background and level of education, there was no
meaningful difference in increased abilities of physical education teachers (P>0.05).
Keywords: Ability, Service education, Physical education.
Introduction
Generally, survival, durability and advancement of every society rely on efficiency and quality of education. Every
country needs ambitious and vigorous professors as one of the pillars of education, in order to educate their youngsters within
the standards of education system and prepare them for a better future (Emadzadeh, 1990). The objective of education is to
educate and train, and with respect to the means that it has, tries to create desirable changes in individuals, to make their
talents prosper and to help man reach his maximum excellence (Shiar, 1992). On the other hand, education is among the most
important organizations promoting sports and its effects within the society and sports trainers in the front line of this
organization are appointed with this endeavor. Ability of the staff is a new method used by managers to increase productivity
through increasing commitment of the staff to the organization and vice versa. This valuable method creates balance between
full control of managers and freedom of action for the staff. Ability is a different way for individuals to interact with each other
and its main objective is to change management structure from a traditional and pyramid form to an interactive structure (Ameri
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
et al., 2009). In service education for the staff is doubtlessly one of the most important and most effective factors for
improvement of affairs and increasing their ability. In service education courses lead to deeper insight and
discreetness, more knowledge and more skill ability in human sources, and it is necessary for every society that thinks of
development, to consider a desirable in service education program as top priority of their long and short-term plans.
With emergence of such point of view, issues like education quality and factors effective on human and school relations,
motivating the teachers, enhancing academic and practical level of physical education teachers, enhancing level of physical
and skill readiness of physical education teachers, enhancing academic level of physical education teachers and updating their
knowledge, promoting and strengthening performance of sports activities among physical education teachers, creating
motivation and enhancing level of happiness and freshness of physical education teachers, job satisfaction of the teachers,
effective man force, proper educational environment, etc. will improve (Bazzaz Jazayeri, 2005). In service education is among
the most important measures taken by education organization, which is responsible for updating general, academic, and
professional knowledge of the educational staff, in accordance with scientific changes and growth of educational industries and
changes in educational system. Regarding the importance of the issue of education and necessity of development and
improvement of human resources, training teachers as the top people in training the students is highly essential, where the
need for updating the information of individuals, especially those involved with education is felt more. In today world,
teacher training is considered among first level interests from the point of view of national interests 2007). In his
study, Zare (2006) examined the relationship between psychological factors of abilities of experts and entrepreneurship of the
physical education organization.
The results from data analysis showed that there is a positive and meaningful relationship between and
entrepreneurship of physical education organization. Also, psychological factors of ability in physical training organization were
rated and it was determined that the highest rate was associated to the sense of self-determination and the sense of reliability
was placed third. Salmani Dastjerd et al (2007) conducted a study titled of in service education and self-efficiency
of physical education teachers Findings of the study showed that there is no meaningful relationship between self-efficiency
of physical education teachers and their participation in in-service education classes. Finally it can be concluded that in service
education has no effect on self-efficiency of physical education teachers. In a research entitled a study of relationship between
in service education and factors effective on the staff man power efficiency (case study in Qom province gas organization),
Mostafavipour (2008) concluded that there is a positive meaningful relationship between the companies in service education
program and 4 factors (cooperation, organizational commitment, motivation and job recognition), while there is no meaningful
relationship between 4 other factors (innovation, job satisfaction, job related knowledge and skill, positive attitude towards
change).
Finally, the hypothesis of existence of a meaningful positive relationship between Qom province gas
in service education program and factors affecting the staff man power was not approved. Generally, the results
indicated necessity of revising educational plans of the company in terms of some factors. Zahrabi et al (2011) did a study
entitled relationship between in service education and abilities of Fars province physical education Results
showed that there is a positive meaningful relationship between in service education and abilities of the managers. Moreover,
a positive and meaningful relationship was observed between in service education programs and sub-scales of ability (sense
of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-determination, sense of effectiveness and sense of reliability).
However, there was no meaningful difference observed among attitudes towards in service education in terms of
gender.
Therefore, improvement in education conditions and correction of physical education teachers may lead to increasing
their abilities, and hence, may facilitate reaching organizational objectives. Uzunboyla (2007) conducted a study entitled
viewpoints about following in service education programs in North on 74 teachers working in guidance
schools, where 37 were male and 37 were female. These teachers participated in a 6-hour educational program organized by
Cyprus ministry of education. Results showed that there is a meaningful difference between attitudes after
participating in in-service education programs and utilizing computer and internet technology in order to improve educational
quality, better learning of educational experiences, and creating motivation to participate in in-service education in teachers.
That is, teachers participating in in-service education programs are more different with those teachers who did not participate,
and they showed better performance than before. This study also showed that probably participation in in-service
education programs would improve their attitude to some extent; that all teachers in this country would welcome in service
education programs in order to get more familiar with new technologies.
Chiou-hui (2010) conducted a research entitled the effects of incorporating collaborative action research
into an in-service teacher training Results of this study showed that conducting a collaborative action research on in
service teacher training program plays a significant role in knowledge structure and it helps their useful methods of
practical teaching, and creates self-confidence in teaching English among them. Paying attention to the process of planning in
service education is the first and most important principle to achieve the objective of physical education teachers ability.
Although the notion of in service education has a background of about a century, but practically it is not enjoying necessary
coherence and dynamism, and it has been under special attention only during the past few decades. Regarding that today
there has been an understanding about undeniable role of sports and physical education in the society and this framework has
been applied to education too, physical education teachers have a basic and key role in achieving this endeavor as a part of
this system. It seems that the ministry of education needs its ability through conducting proper educational programs
in order to survive and last. The present study is intending to investigate the effect of in service education courses on physical
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
education abilities in Ardabil province, and answer the following question: Do in service education courses have an
effect on increasing abilities of physical training teachers?
Methodology
The present research is of applied type in terms of objective. Also, it is of descriptive type in terms of nature and method,
and a survey type research in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of this study includes all physical
education teachers who have been participating in in-service education programs including employed (officially, contractual or
contracting) in general bureau of education of Ardabil province in 2014, including 410 teachers where 208 were male and 202
were female. The statistical population of this study was selected through stratified random method and their numbers were
elected according to table of determining sample volume. According to Morgan table, the number of statistical
population for men was 129 individuals and similarly for women it was calculated to be 129. The independent variant of this
study was general in service education course and professional in service education course and its dependent variant was
physical education ability which included 5 sub-scale of: sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of
self-determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability. Content validity and formal validity were used in order to
measure the validity of measurement means of this study. In order to determine the validity, questionnaires were first sent to a
number of experts.
Those were among university professors and researchers of the field of sports management. According to their remarks,
necessary amendments were applied on the questionnaire and the main questionnaire was designed. To investigate the
internal reliability of the questionnaire in this study, alpha was used. alpha coefficient was calculated to
be 0.87 for the whole questionnaire, 0.81 for questions of participation in general courses of in service education, and 0.84 for
questions of participation in professional courses of in service education. Regarding that alpha coefficient is bigger
than standard figure of 0.7 we conclude that the questionnaire has a good internal reliability. In this study, the following
statistical methods were used for data analysis. Descriptive statistical methods were used for calculation of average, standard
deviation, frequency and percentages. For hypotheses test, inferential statistics method was used after results obtained from
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (normalness distribution) from single-group t-test to compare empirical and theoretical averages.
Also for the relationship between a selection of personal features (age, gender, teaching background, level of education, and
field of study) with the ability resulted from in service education courses (general-professional) Pearson correlation coefficient,
independent t-tests, continual measuring variance analysis (F test) were used, and Freedman test was used for rating effect of
in service education courses. Also alpha test was used to calculate reliability coefficient (internal and time) of the
questionnaires.
Results
Descriptive findings of this research showed that 50 percent of subjects were men and the rest were women. 144 of them
had BA degree. 97 percent of the participants had majored in physical education. Age average of the subjects of the research
was close to 34 years. The average of the teaching background was close to 13 years.
Table 1. Descriptive table of effects of general in service education courses on ability of physical education teachers.
sense of
meaningfulness
sense of
competence
sense of self-
determination
sense of
effectiveness
sense of
reliability
ability
Acceptable number
258
258
258
258
258
258
Average
3.87
3.90
3.92
3.91
3.78
3.87
SD
0.91
0.93
0.91
0.89
0.92
0.82
Minimum
1
1
1
1
1
1
Maximum
5
5
5
5
5
5
For the effect of general in service education courses on physical education ability and its components, the number
of sample, average, and standard deviation, minimum and maximum were calculated. In all components the scores are
variable in a range between 1 and 5. The average of sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-
determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability were 3.87, 3.90, 3.92, 3.91 and 3.78 respectively, and the
average of effectiveness of general in service education courses on physical education ability is 3.87.
Table 2. Descriptive table of effects of professional in service education courses on ability of physical education teachers
sense of
meaningfulness
sense of
competence
sense of self-
determination
sense of
effectiveness
sense of
reliability
ability
Acceptable number
258
258
258
258
258
258
Average
3.92
3.99
4.01
3.97
3.85
3.95
SD
0.86
0.78
0.85
0.80
0.87
0.73
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
Minimum
2
2
2
2
1.67
2
Maximum
5
5
5
5
5
4.87
For the effect of professional in service education courses on physical education ability and its components, the
number of sample, average, standard deviation, minimum and maximum were calculated. In four components the scores are
variable in a range between 2 and 5. The average of sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-
determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability were 3.92, 3.99, 4.01, 3.97 and 3.85 respectively, and the
average of effectiveness of professional in service education courses on physical education ability is 3.95.
Table 3. The results of Freedman test for rating the effect of general in service education courses on components of
ability.
variant
N
Average rate
Chi-squared
value
df
Sig.
sense of meaningfulness
258
2.85
20.75
4
0.001
sense of competence
258
3.03
sense of self-determination
258
3.20
sense of effectiveness
258
3.17
sense of reliability
258
2.74
According to results from table 3, Chi-squared value is 20.75, freedom degree is 4 and level of meaningfulness is 0.001. Since
the level of meaningfulness is less than 0.05, then we conclude that there is a meaningful difference between the effects of
general in service education courses on components of physical education ability. The effect of general in service
education courses on components of physical education ability is as follows from low to high respectively: Sense of
reliability, sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of effectiveness, and sense of self-determination.
Table 4. The results of Freedman test for rating the effect of professional in service education courses on components of
ability
variant
N
Average rate
Chi-squared
value
df
Sig.
Sense of meaningfulness
258
2.88
10.27
4
0.036
Sense of competence
258
3.08
Sense of self-determination
258
3.17
Sense of effectiveness
258
3.04
Sense of reliability
258
2.84
According to results from table 4, Chi-squared value is 10.27, freedom degree is 4 and level of meaningfulness is 0.036. Since
the level of meaningfulness is less than 0.05, then we conclude that there is a meaningful difference between the effects of
professional in service education courses on components of physical education ability. The effect of professional in
service education courses on components of physical education ability is as follows from low to high respectively:
Sense of reliability, sense of meaningfulness, sense of effectiveness, sense of competence, and sense of self-determination.
Table 5. The results of single-sample t-test for investigating the extent of effect of general in service education courses on
ability and its components.
Variants
N
Average
SD
t
df
Sig.
Average
of variants
difference with
test value
Effect of general in
service education
courses on ability
258
3.87
0.82
17.16
257
0.001
0.87
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
meaningfulness
258
3.87
0.91
15.38
257
0.001
0.87
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
competence
258
3.90
0.93
15.61
257
0.001
0.90
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
self-determination
258
3.92
0.91
16.20
257
0.001
0.92
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
effectiveness
258
3.91
0.89
16.26
257
0.001
0.91
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
reliability
258
3.78
0.92
13.50
257
0.001
0.78
As can be observed in table 5, the results of the hypotheses show that the result of general in service education courses on
physical education ability and its components (sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-
determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability) is meaningful in terms of statistics.
Table 6. The results of single-sample t-test for investigating the extent of effect of professional in service education courses on
ability and its components.
Variants
N
Average
SD
t
df
Sig.
Average of
variants
difference with
test value
Effect of general in
service education
courses on ability
258
3.95
0.73
20.95
257
0.001
0.87
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
meaningfulness
258
3.92
0.86
17.16
257
0.001
0.92
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
competence
258
3.99
0.78
20.53
257
0.001
0.99
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
self-determination
258
4.01
0.85
19.03
257
0.001
1.01
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
effectiveness
258
3.97
0.80
19.34
257
0.001
0.97
Effect of general in
service education
courses on sense of
reliability
258
3.85
0.87
15.60
257
0.001
0.85
As can be observed in table 6, the results of the hypotheses show that the result of professional in service education courses
on physical education ability and its components (sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-
determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability) is meaningful in terms of statistics. Other results of this study
showed that there is no meaningful relationship between age and ability resulted from general in service education courses
and its components with P=0.67 and r(258)=0.026. According to the results of above table and with regards to the level of
meaningfulness of t-test in error level of 0.05 it can be said that there is a meaningful difference between the effect of general
in service education courses on ability (t=-2.97, sense of meaningfulness (t=-3.69, sense of competence (t=-
2.34, sense of self-determination (t=-4.29, and sense of effectiveness (t=-2.39, from the viewpoint of
women and men, and the extent of effect of general in service education courses on ability, sense of meaningfulness, sense of
competence, sense of self-determination, and sense of effectiveness is higher in viewpoints of women compared to those of
men.
According to the results and with regards to the level of meaningfulness of t-test in error level of 0.05 it can be said that
there is not a meaningful difference between the effect of professional in service education courses on ability (t=-0.67,
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
sense of meaningfulness (t=0.91, sense of competence (t=-0.18, sense of effectiveness (t=-1.31,
and sense of reliability (t=-0.28, from the viewpoint of women and men. While there is a meaningful difference
between the effect of professional in service education courses on sense of self-determination (t=-2.09, from the
viewpoint of women and men and the extent of effect of professional in service education courses on sense of self-
determination is higher in viewpoints of women compared to those of men. According to the results of above table there is no
meaningful relationship between teaching history and ability resulted from general in service education courses with P=0.05
and r(258)=0.11 and components of sense of meaningfulness with P=0.68 and r(258)=0.02, sense of self-determination with
P=0.15 and r(258)=0.08, and sense of reliability with P=0.18 and r(258)=0.08.
According to the results there is no meaningful relationship between the level of education and ability resulted from
general in service education courses with P=0.08 and r(258)=0.18 and components of sense of meaningfulness with P=0.59
and r(258)=0.03, sense of competence with P=0.79 and r(258)=0.01, sense of self-determination with P=0.06 and r(258)=0.11
and sense of effectiveness with P=0.21 and r(258)=0.07. Also there is no meaningful relationship between the level of
education and ability resulted from professional in service education courses with P=0.10 and r(258)=0.10 and components of
sense of meaningfulness with P=0.63 and r(258)=0.02, sense of self-determination with P=0.09 and r(258)=0.10, sense of
effectiveness with P=0.06 and r(258)=0.11, and sense of reliability with P=0.63 and r(258)=0.03. Also according to the results
and with regards to the level of meaningfulness of t-test in error level of 0.05 it can be said that there is not a meaningful
difference between the effect of general in service education courses on ability (t=-0.465, p sense of meaningfulness
(t=0.783, sense of competence (t=-1.592, sense of self-determination (t=0.690, sense of
effectiveness (t=-1.165, and sense of reliability (t=0.748, from the viewpoint of physical education teachers
and those of other fields of study.
Discussion and Conclusion
The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of in service education courses (general-professional) on physical
education ability. The participants of this study were all male and female physical education teachers in Ardabil
province, whereby from among them 258 were selected in stratified random method. Results showed that general and
professional in service education courses had a positive meaningful effect on physical education ability and
components of sense of self-determination and sense of effectiveness had more effect on physical education ability
with higher average and level of meaningfulness compared to other components. The results also showed that professional in
service education courses had more effect on creating personal innovation in fulfillment of job tasks, better decision-making
about how to accomplish job tasks and obtaining independence in doing so, as well as being confident about ones abilities,
making sure about ones competences, and becoming skillful in accomplishing job tasks of physical education teachers. The
results of this study showed that physical education teachers have achieved a high ability by participating in in-service
education courses (general and professional) and have empowered components of sense of self-determination, sense of
effectiveness, sense of competence, and sense of meaningfulness in them.
Therefore in-service education courses (general and professional) have been effective in increasing physical education
ability and have increased components of ability (sense of self-determination, sense of effectiveness, sense of
competence, sense of meaningfulness, and sense of reliability). A correct planning for educating general and professional in
service courses may be effective in increasing physical education ability. What can be inferred from this point of view
is that having powerful psychological factors (sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-determination,
sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability) are among the most important features that physical education teachers must
have in order to achieve more ability and efficiency.
The results of this study were in line with those of Lippin (2001), Cheng-Jen (2005), Zare (2006), Naderi et al (2007),
Farajpour (2009), Nazemi et al (2011), Zahrabi et al (2011) and Shahr Aeini (2011), where effectiveness of volubility of
professional activities and meaningfulness of doing ones job on the sense of meaningfulness and being sure about ones
abilities, making sure about ones competences and becoming skillful in accomplishing job tasks on the sense of competence,
and creating personal innovation in fulfillment of job tasks, better decision-making in how to accomplish ones job tasks on the
sense of self-determination, and support for ability through in service education have been pointed out,
while the role of participating in in-service education courses (general and professional) has been reported as being an
important factor in success of physical education ability.
Regarding that physical education teachers are cautious about all components of ability (sense of meaningfulness,
sense of competence, sense of self-determination, sense of effectiveness, and sense of reliability), the authorities ought to
consider all aspects of physical education ability in improvement and advancement of physical education in
service education classes. The results show that the extent of increase in physical education ability according to
components of (sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-determination) is more than other components,
therefore components of (sense of meaningfulness, sense of competence, sense of self-determination) should be paid
attention to in all in service education classes. For future studies, it is recommended that this research was done in general
bureau of education of Ardabil province and in next studies, other general bureaus can also be assessed. It is recommended
for future researches to investigate the effects of such courses on other psychological components such as self-efficiency.
Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (11), 818-824, 2014
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