Effect of Sports Activities on Students’ Development: Investigating Secondary School Students’ Perception

Author(s) : Shafqat Hussain , Muhammad Saeed , Manzar Abbas & Saima Naz

Abstract:

This paper focuses on the students’ perceptions of government secondary school (GSSs) to determine the effect of sports activities on their cognitive, emotional, moral, and social development. The descriptive analytical design was used to accomplish the study. The study was conducted in late 2008 on a random sample of 257 students of GSSs of district Mianwali in Pakistan. Data were collected through administrating a questionnaire. Students’ opinions were sought on four compatible indicators of their effectual development through sports activities. Results revealed that sports activities help students to learn various social norms, improve reminiscence skills, respect towards others, self-discipline, and invigorating effects on their mind. Sports activities hardly encourage students to utilize their mental potential and control their antagonistic moods. The effect of sports activities on cognitive, emotional, and social development of students is prominent but the effect on their moral development is pathetic. The study concludes that the sports activities should be arranged on regular basis to encourage students to utilize their mental potential for their healthier learning.

Keywords: Sports activities, cognitive, moral, social, development