Integration of international fitness testing protocols into the educational system of Kazakhstan: analysis of teachers' opinions

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the opinions of physical education teachers in secondary education organizations about the prospects for introducing modern fitness-testing tools into student physical fitness monitoring programs. A survey was conducted, which was attended by teachers of physical education and secondary education (n=181), whose average age is 40.5±10.5 years, work experience in the specialty is 16.2±8.7 years. The results of the study showed that the majority of teachers do not perceive fitness-testing as a necessary part of the physical education process and do not use its tools in the course of their professional activities. A possible reason for teachers' skepticism about the introduction of fitness testing may be the weakness of institutional monitoring and the imperfection of the regulatory framework governing the process of physical education in educational institutions. To assess the parameters of students' physical fitness, teachers use a set of tools historically developed in the post-Soviet countries. The majority of respondents are poorly aware of current trends in the field of fitness testing and are skeptical about the prospect of introducing modern assessment tools into the practice of physical education in Kazakhstani secondary education organizations. This fact indicates the need for additional research in this area and the organization of work to clarify current trends in fitness-testing.