High school students on reasons for absenteeism in physical education classes

Theaim of the study was an attempt to diagnose the phenomenon of absenteeism in PE lessons of high school youth.Thesurvey included 51 randomly selected students aged 14-18 from a selected high school in Lodz. The research was carried out on the basis of the diagnostic survey method and the survey technique, while the research tool was a questionnaire constructed for the needs of the pilot studies, containing closed, semi-open and open questions The results of the research were subjected to statistical analysis, determining the significance of differences using the chi-square test. The research results indicate that girls (36,7%) less often and less willingly participate in PE lessons than boys (66,7%). The main reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons are the teacher's approach and the way of conducting classes (7,9%); lack of awareness and knowledge of the benefits of physical activity (31,4%); lack of encouragement to take up physical activity on the part of relatives and the teacher (8%), and shame caused by the appearance of the body (13,5%).


Introduction
Physical education has been accompanying man for hundreds of years. It has countless health values (hardening the body, increasing the body's efficiency, correcting posture defects and preventing them, improving immunity, strengthening muscles, maintaining proper metabolism and body weight) and educational values (shaping the fair play attitude, which ensures comprehensive and even mental and ethical development, moral, social and emotional). In addition, its task is to prepare people for active participation in physical culture and counteract civilization diseases related to the sedentary lifestyle.
"Showing and emphasizing the valuable values of physical and health culture is a chance for them to become the main element of a healthy lifestyle for the whole society (...) Lack of regular physical activity to which a person has been phylogenetically adapted, along with other unfavourable health behaviours, e.g. excessive supply of food, results in an avalanche increase in the incidence of overweight and obesity, metabolic syndrome and a whole range of diseases, the so-called civilization. Systematic physical activity plays an important role in preventing the epidemic of overweight and obesity, as well as in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and possibly also cancer. In the face of the above threats, it is reasonable for a high level of physical and health education to be an integral part of our everyday life, at any age" [3].
Unfortunately, it is noticed that young people participate in physical education lessons less and less. This is confirmed by "data from studies conducted in 2013 and 2014 in the group of children and adolescents (aged 10-17) from all over Poland which indicate that a significant percentage of students do not participate in compulsory activities related to physical activity (...) girls much less frequently than boys take PE lessons; youth participation in these lessons decreases with age" [9].
In addition to these data, the Supreme Audit Office negatively assessed the education of students at the audited schools in physical education, the conditions for activities at school, and the education of students at the audited universities in physical education. The negative assessment is due to the extent of the increasing scale of irregularities found contributing to students' absenteeism in physical education classes. These include such irregularities as: 1. "Inadequacy, in more than half of the schools, of physical education curricula to the sports infrastructure possessed by the schools and to the health capabilities and interests of the students. Teachers in these schools did not recognize students' movement capabilities and did not formulate curriculum requirements (55% of the inspected schools); [...]. 2. Failure, in three-quarters of the schools, to take measures to prevent the declining trend of students' active participation in physical education classes; One-third of the students surveyed by the NIK at the inspected schools stated that physical education classes are not interesting to them, and participation in them does not help them become more physically fit (74% of the inspected schools); 3. failure, in three-quarters of schools, to provide safe conditions for physical education classes. More than half of the students surveyed felt that it was necessary to better equip schools with sports equipment and facilities (76% of the schools inspected); 4. failure, in two-thirds of schools, to check the progress of students' achievement in physical education (59% of inspected schools); 5. failure to organize, in one-third of schools, sports competitions such as school championships or school spartakiads. In addition, no sports competitions were organized in 7% of the schools (33% of the inspected schools); 6. failure to conduct corrective gymnastics classes for students with detected postural defects in more than half of the schools (59% of the inspected schools). (...)" [8] There are many reasons for the lack of participation of young people in physical education lessons. "With time and the ever-changing world, the way young people think and act is also changing. Students in adolescence are provided with new and new stimuli (technology, stimulants, fashion), to which they react in different ways, so you should look at the reasons why they do not participate in PE lessons and try to skilfully eliminate them" [9].
Reasons for leaving PE lessons by young people may be the attitude or general appearance of the teacher teaching this subject and the way he conducts it. Students appreciate such qualities in the teacher as: justice, firmness, patience, forbearance and kindness. In addition, he should have a friendly attitude towards young people, arouse interest in the subject and broadly understand physical activity, always be prepared for lessons or conduct lessons in an interesting way [5]. His task is also to convey knowledge in a clear and accessible way, to explain and make students aware of the goals of the exercises, and to encourage or motivate students to engage in physical activity during physical education lessons or outside home in their free time. It is worth mentioning here the roles that should be fulfilled by a physical education teacher, which was formulated in a rather vivid manner by Tadeusz Koszczyc: 1. The role of the "potter" (he glues, builds, shapes, influences development); 2. The role of the "gardener" (looks after, grows, nurtures); 3. The role of the "supplier" (provides information, supplier); 4. The role of the "artist" (he is creative, innovative, looking for something new, appearing in front of the audience -children); 5. The role of "midwife-doctor-nurse" (gives help) [4].
The approach to the student, commitment to work, knowledge, the general appearance of the physical education teacher and his way of conducting classes may encourage, but also discourage the student from participating in physical education lessons. In addition, the lack of educating young people about the benefits of physical activity and the lack of encouragement from the physical education teacher or relatives (family, friends) to undertake this activity contributes to the increased absenteeism of high school students from physical education lessons.
Another reason for not attending PE lessons may be feelings of embarrassment. The age of adolescence is the age of changes approaching full maturity in terms of physical, mental and emotional development. It is aimed at achieving sexual maturity.
Each child develops at its own individual pace. However, they tend to compare themselves with their peers -models proposed by culture. "When young people perceive their development as taking place outside the framework of their desires and expectations or perceive themselves as significantly different from their peersthey have a worse opinion of themselves, are less satisfied with their body and appearance, may be more depressed and may avoid contact with peers, which means they have fewer friends, avoid entering into closer relationships with people of the same and opposite sex" [2]. Thus, they may be ashamed to exercise in physical education lessons or change into clothes for exercises in front of their friends in the cloakroom. The imbalance in the processes of stimulation and inhibition or the change of interests (mainly in girls) contribute to the reduction of motivation and interest in movement, which later reflects on the level of motor skills. Youth movements become awkward, dissonant, lacking accuracy and rhythm. Thus, motor apathy and a feeling of heaviness increase. This is another reason why young people are absent from physical education lessons [2].
Another reason for not participating in PE lessons is the marginalization of this subject. In modern times, apart from striving for self-realization, anxiety about one's own interests and life prospects has arisen. "Children in primary school focus on what they want to do in the future. As a consequence, school subjects are divided into those important and less important. Subjects such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and history, which are taken into account when enrolling in studies, are becoming more important. Thus, physical education has become marginalized and considered a less important subject" [2].

Material and method
In order to find out the reasons for high school students' absenteeism from physical education classes, a pilot study was conducted at a purposively selected high school with 3 lesson hours of physical education classes per week with young people aged 14-18. The survey was conducted in October 2020 in a remote form due to the then prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and included 51 purposively selected high school students aged 14-18, including 30 girls and 21 boys (Table 1). The survey results were analyzed for the significance of differences in the chi-square test by comparing the empirical value with the theoretical value of the test [6].
The aim of the own research presented in this article was to find out the reasons for absenteeism in physical education lessons of the surveyed high school students and to identify possible differences in the reasons for skipping these lessons between female and male respondents.
The subject of the research are the statements of the students of the studied group about their reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons.
In connection with the subject of the research, the following main research question was asked: What are the reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons among the studied group of students?
For the purposes of this study, the following specific questions were also formulated: 1. What is the absence from physical education lessons among the surveyed group? 2. In the opinion of the respondents, whether and how the absenteeism from education lessons contribute to: a) the teacher or his way of conducting classes in physical education lessons? b) conditions during physical education classes? c) students' health problems? d) lack of awareness of students about the care of health, hygiene and the benefits of physical activity? e) feeling ashamed or embarrassed by students? f) behavior of relatives and friends of students? 3. Is there a relationship between gender and the reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons?
With regard to the main problem and specific research questions, a research hypothesis was formulated: H1: H1: It is assumed that there is a relationship between gender and non-participation in physical education classes, i.e. girls attend physical education classes less often than boys.
In this scheme of research issues, a dependent variable was introduced -not attending physical education lessons, and independent -gender. The indicators, on the other hand, were declarations of the reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons of the surveyed students: the person of the physical education teacher or the way he conducts the classes, conditions during PE lessons, health problems, lack of awareness about caring for health, hygiene and the benefits of physical activity, feeling of shame or embarrassment, behaviour of relatives and friends.
The research was carried out on the basis of the diagnostic survey method and the survey technique, while the research tool was a questionnaire constructed for the needs of the pilot studies, containing closed, semi-open and open questions. Presented are 7 questions out of 33 included in the survey questionnaire.

Results
As the world changes and new stimuli are constantly provided, the priorities of Polish youth and the reasons for their lack of participation in physical activity lessons are changing. Therefore, this phenomenon should be systematically studied and counteracted. The following analysis of the pilot study diagnoses the reasons for skipping physical education lessons by the surveyed high school students and points out the differences in the statements of girls and boys. The largest number of students declared that they attend physical education classes 3 times a week (49%), followed by twice (29.4%), then once (13.7%) and finally zero (7.9%). The differentiation between girls and boys can be seen in the answer zero -it turns out that this answer was marked by 3 girls (10%) and one boy (4.8%), in the answer two -a significant majority of girls chose this answer (40% G and 14.3% B) and in the answer three -the results show that it is the boys (66.7%) who attend physical education classes more often than girls (36.7%). Summarizing the results obtained, there was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 5.5, df=3 (p > 0.05). Chi-square (χ 2 ) χ 2 = 4,0, df=7 (p > 0,05) 51 100 Source: own research Further results show that 70.6% of respondents do not believe that conditions during physical education classes are a motive for not attending them. As it turns out, 19.6% of the respondents have no opinion on the subject, including more boys than girls (23.8% B and 16.7% G). 3.3% of girls do not exercise in PE classes because there are few utensils and exercise equipment, there is a very small locker room, or because there are no showers and opportunities to wash up after class. Also, the girls themselves (6.7%) do not attend these lessons for other reasons. It seems that classes that are held in a small room are not the reason why female respondents do not participate. It should also be remembered that the high school students surveyed prefer classes to be held at school rather than outdoors. Summarizing the results obtained, there was no statistically significant relationship between the studied groups of girls and boys χ2= 4.0, df=7 (p > 0.05).
Looking for the reason for not participating in physical education lessons, respondents were asked about health problems. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that according to 98% of the respondents, health problems are not the reason they do not participate in PE lessons. Only one boy declared that he does not participate in physical education lessons due to health problems. Summarizing the results obtained, there was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 1.5, df=3 (p > 0.05).
Children's participation in physical education lessons can be significantly influenced by the teacher himself and his way of teaching. He can encourage students to take up physical activity, but also discourage them. The following table indicates the results of a pilot study on the influence of the physical education teacher on children's participation in classes. Chi-square (χ 2 ) χ 2 = 5,9, df=7 (p > 0,05) 51 100 Source: own research The results show that 56.9% of the respondents are of the opinion that the physical education teacher or his way of teaching does not contribute to the fact that they do not attend physical education classes. Interestingly, 25.5% of the surveyed students have no opinion on this issue. It is noteworthy, however, that 5.9% of high school students do not attend physical activity classes because they are not fond of the teacher or the classes are boring and monotonous, and 2% do not do so because of the prevailing unpleasant atmosphere during the classes, the fact that the teacher does not adapt the exercises to their skills or the classes do not develop them comprehensively. More boys than girls answered no (71.4% G and 46.7% B). Only girls, on the other hand, marked the answers: yes because I am not fond of the teacher (10% G and 0% B), yes because there is an unpleasant atmosphere in the classes (3.3% G and 0% B), yes because the teacher does not adapt the exercises to my skills (3.3% G and 0% B), and yes because the classes do not develop me comprehensively (3.3% G and 0% B). None of the surveyed high school students are afraid of the physical education teacher. Summarizing the results obtained, there was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 5.9, df=7 (p > 0.05).
Thus, it turns out that most of the students surveyed were not discouraged from attending PE lessons by the teacher himself or his way of teaching. However, it should not be forgotten that skipping PE lessons may also be due to a lack of awareness among children and young people. The role of the physical education teacher is to impart knowledge to them about taking care of their health, hygiene and the benefits of physical activity. If they do not have this knowledge, they therefore do not know the consequences of not practicing physical activity, including in physical education classes. Table No. 5 shows the responses of students regarding equipping them with knowledge about caring for health, hygiene and the benefits of practicing physical activity. Chi-square (χ 2 ) χ 2 = 1,2, df=2 (p > 0,05) 51 100 Source: own research The above table shows data on respondents' opinions on whether the physical education teacher equips/equips them with the knowledge of caring for health, hygiene and the benefits of physical activity. The results show that respondents' answers differ little. 35.3% of respondents believe that this teacher equips/equips them with such knowledge. This is followed by 33.3% who have no opinion on the subject, and 31.4% of students believe that the physical education teacher does not equip/equip them with such knowledge. The difference between girls and boys is marked by the two most frequently chosen answers. It turns out that more boys than girls (42.9% B and 30% G) think that the physical education teacher equips/equips them with knowledge about taking care of their health, hygiene and the benefits of physical activity. In contrast, the opposite opinion is expressed by more girls (36.7% G and 23.8% B). There was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 1.2, df=2 (p > 0.05). Chi-square (χ 2 ) χ 2 = 6,0, df=6 (p > 0,05) 51 100 Source: own research After a careful analysis of the data, it can be clearly stated that 72.6% of the respondents do not have a sense of shame or embarrassment and this is not the reason why they do not participate in physical education classes. It turns out that more boys than girls think so (81% B and 66.7% G). 13.7% of respondents do not have an opinion on this issue, of which again more boys do (19.1 B and 10% G).However, it seems important and worth emphasizing that as many as 16.7% of girls do not exercise in physical education classes because they are ashamed of their bodies; 3.3% do not do so because they are ashamed of their physical fitness or their appearance when exercising. Summarizing the results obtained regarding whether a sense of shame or embarrassment is the reason by which the respondents do not participate in physical education lessons, there was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 6.0, df=6 (p > 0.05). Chi-square (χ 2 ) χ 2 = 3,2, df=5 (p > 0,05) 51 100 Source: own research The data presented in Table 7 shows that, according to 76.5% of the surveyed students, their loved ones are not the reason they do not participate in physical education classes. Interestingly, as many as 15.7% of respondents have no opinion on the subject. 4% of the respondents do not participate in these lessons because their friends do not participate either, and 2% of the students do not participate in lessons because their friends urge them to do so, or their parents do not want them to. It turns out that more boys than girls have no opinion (19.1% B and 13.3% G) or think that their close friends are not the reason they don't participate in PE lessons (81% B and 73.3% G). In contrast, the girls themselves marked answers that their parents do not want them to participate in these lessons (3.3% G and 0% B), that they do not participate because their friends do not participate either (6.7% G and 0% B) or persuade them not to participate (3.3% G and 0% B). Summarizing the results of the study, there was no significant statistical relationship between the studied groups χ2= 3.2, df=5 (p > 0.05).
On the basis of the presented research results, which are an answer to the research questions posed, it can be concluded that the research hypothesis has been confirmed, i.e., the surveyed girls attend physical education lessons less.

Discussion
The above results are consistent with selected findings of other authors' studies and may also complement their results involving the identification of the main reasons why high school students skip physical education lessons.
The research questions posed by the team, consisting of: W. Błachno and R Kozlowski, are consistent with their own research. The research showed a marked increase in year-long exemptions from physical education classes among high school students, indicating that this is one of the reasons for skipping them. The year-long sick leave was used by 610 people (11% of all respondents) -among the girls surveyed, 491 people (14% of the total), where in the group of boys the percentage was more than half (6% of the total) [1].
Another study, conducted by the Woynarowska, Mazur, Oblacińska team in 2013/2014 among 10-17year-olds living in 12 provinces, supplements our own research with information on what constitutes the most common reasons for sick leave.
They turn out to be: 1. "post-injury conditions -57% of the total causes, slightly less than reported by learners. These were most often: fractures of limbs (29.9%), sprains and dislocations (22.6%), head and spinal injuries (9.1%), contusions or lacerations (6.1%); in 30.5% of cases, the record did not allow to determine the type of injury.
2. diseases, disorders or ailments -43% of the total causes listed. The most common were conditions after acute infections, including infectious diseases (21.8%), after surgery for various reasons (12.9%), disorders of the circulatory system (12.1%), sterile necrosis of the lower extremities, typical of sexual puberty (10.5%), other disorders of the musculoskeletal system (8.1%). This group of reasons also included symptoms or ailments in which the legitimacy of granting exemption from P.E. classes was questionable (e.g., not growing, medication at school, frequent headaches)" [9].
Another study with similarly posed research questions, conducted in elementary, middle and high schools in Podlaskie province in 2004 by the Board of Education, proves that the problem of students' absenteeism in physical education lessons was already present, both among high school-aged youth and among younger students. This study posed research questions coinciding with those of our own research, regarding the reasons for absenteeism from physical education lessons. The following reasons for skipping these lessons were noted: -Lessons are unattractive, arousing little interest in students because they are monotonous and unvaried; -Lack of sports equipment and an adequate number of classrooms for classes; -Most locker rooms are not equipped with showers, or they are in such a state that it is not possible to freshen up in them normally before the next lessons. In addition, even if there are such facilities, there are too few for each student to manage to do so during a short break; -Boys and girls practice together in the same gymnasium. Girls are embarrassed to practice in the presence of boys; -Physical education lessons fall on the first or last lessons, students dismiss themselves to sit at home longer, or rush to the next extra class (e.g., foreign language); -Shame, occurring mainly in girls. They develop a fear of being mocked by their classmates because of their imperfections; -Carefully applied makeup, which young girls are afraid to violate, also turns out to be a problem (the situation is also repeated with hair or nails); -Often the physical education teacher is a former coach or athlete who once trained in one sport, who now imposes it on his students, with the emphasis primarily on learning and perfecting it.
The high rate of absenteeism in physical education classes and the reasons for skipping these lessons are also confirmed by the studies carried out in 2012 and 2013 by the Supreme Audit Office: "Physical education classes were looked at for a week in selected schools. It turned out that in classes IV-VI 15% of students did not actively participate in them, in middle schools 23%, and in high schools as many as 30% of students. Children and adolescents cited health reasons (35%) and unattractive way of conducting classes (31%) as the main reasons for avoiding exercise. (...) Students also indicated that teachers excessively prefer team games (28%) and gymnastic exercises (20%). In contrast, other forms of activities -such as running, dancing, aerobics, skating, swimming or skiing, or active hiking -are only a marginal part of all activities conducted. Pupils also have a limited opportunity to choose the type of exercise" [7].

Applications
Na podstawie analizy wyników badań własnych, możliwe jest wyprowadzenie wniosków aplikacyjnych, które mogłyby zostać wykorzystane przez dyrekcje lub nauczycieli pracujących w badanej szkole oraz do przeprowadzenia badań wśród większej grupy uczniów. 1. A significant percentage of students do not participate in compulsory physical education lessons; 2. Girls attend physical education lessons less frequently than boys. 3.The main reason for high school students' absenteeism from physical education lessons is the lack of awareness and equipping students with knowledge of the benefits of attending physical education lessons and engaging in physical activity outside of school; 4. To counter the phenomenon of absenteeism in physical education lessons, the teacher is obliged to create a friendly atmosphere in the lessons, a system of motivation, and to encourage students to engage in physical activity in their free time as well. He or she must also make his or her students aware of the benefits of attending physical education classes, as well as taking up physical activity outside of school. The teacher is obliged to listen to students and implement the forms of activity they prefer. He or she should also diversify the classes and not conduct them according to the same pattern. 5. In addition, school authorities should provide students with good and safe conditions at school for sports. The school should pay more attention to being equipped with appropriate equipment, utensils, classrooms and locker rooms.
6. In addition, it would be appropriate to consider how to provide students with regular contact with pedagogues and school psychologists in order to get rid of their feelings of shame or embarrassment caused by the appearance of their bodies, especially this applies to girls. 7. There are many reasons for students skipping physical education lessons. The application of teachers or school authorities to the above-mentioned remarks can contribute to reducing students' absenteeism from these lessons, as well as to the elimination of all civilization diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity among children.
The results of our own research, together with the convergent and complementary results of other authors' research, constitute a comprehensive and valuable research material that can serve as a pilot for conducting research in a representative group nationwide, which can contribute to the introduction of changes aimed at improving the quality of physical education classes and encouraging students to take up physical activity not only during the period of compulsory schooling, but especially throughout life.