PE101 – Self-Testing Activities: Functions, Fitness, Objectives, and Purposes (Study Notes)

Functions of Physical Education

Biological Function: Refers to the enhancement of the individuals’ growth and development through body movement.
Integrative Function: Refers to the personality integration achieved through participation in properly selected physical activities.
Social Function: Refers to the transmitting values and standards that are consistent with the needs and ideals of the society.

FITNESS – A major Goal of Physical Education.
Different people differ in their notion (paniwala) of fitness.
In the field of Physical Education, the concept of fitness has implications for physical, social, emotional, and mental well-being.
FITNESS – is the ability to live a healthy, satisfying, and useful life.

This type of life is what the educational philosophers and thinkers term as the “good life”, and this is the ultimate goal of education.
To live a “good life” means that an individual satisfies the basic needs as:
- physical well-being,
- love,
- affection,
- security, and
- self-respect.

He lives blissfully with other people and is interested in them.
He has an interest and yearning to serve humanity and believes in and exemplifies high ethical standards.
Because of his secure relationship with people and future events, he lives a remarkable and stimulating life.

The following objectives of Physical Education are viewed and stated in terms of their contributions to the outcomes of education in the curriculum:
Physical Development
Social Development
Emotional Development
Mental Development

Through cautiously selected physical education activities, an individual who participates energetically will develop and maintain good health and a high level of physical fitness.
The attainment of physical skills can motivate an individual who participates further in physical activities; hence his growth and development will be improved.

Involvement in Physical Education activities provides opportunities for the development of enviable social traits needed for adjustment to social life in general.

The informal nature of Physical Education activities offers opportunities for self-expression and emotional mastery.
Worthwhile emotional traits:
- Self-confidence
- Self-control
- Self-reliance
- Courage
- Determination

Through participation in physical education activities, the individual develops his mental capabilities as he learns the mechanical principles underlying movements, as he obtains knowledge and understanding of the rules and strategies of the games and sports, as he discovers ways of improving his movement in gymnastics and dance.
Likewise, it enhances critical thinking about how activities are done according to rules, regulations and strategies.

Knowledge – It enhances critical thinking about how activities are done according to rules.
Physical Fitness – Improves and maintains the workload of the individual without staggering and undue fatigue after which there is time or energy to meet some more emergencies in life.
Social – to understand oneself; to get along with others for effective living.

Motor Skills – it is the learning of the fundamental skills necessary for participation in sports and games.
Aesthetic – relating or responsive to or appreciative of what is pleasurable to the senses.
Nationalism – preservation of cultural heritage through revival of indigenous games, dances, and sports.
Conservation of natural environment – such as protection of forest and aquatic resources.

The Physical Education specialists in our country have identified the following purposes of Physical Education:

To develop optimum physical fitness and health of the individual so that he is capable of living the “good life” and contributing his maximum capacity to the attainment of the goal of the “New Society”;
To produce individuals who can contribute to the economic well-being through:
- The improvement of the proper work habits and work attitudes such as punctuality, cooperation, reliability, precision and accuracy, and open-mindedness; and
- Proper emphasis on problem-solving skills such that an individual can identify a problem correctly and master the skills necessary or useful in the business world;
To train good leaders with moral integrity of the highest order, and develop other desirable traits necessary for effective group participation or group living essential to the New Society through;
- An adequate system of values by equipping the individual to be able to make moral choices or decisions needed in daily living; and
- Offering group participation in such experiences as intramural, extramural, play days or sports fests;
To develop creativity and innovativeness inspired by an abiding faith in God and love of country and fellowmen; and
To install a love of and pride for their preservation, and develop an understanding of the culture of other for a feeling of international brotherhood and unity.