GRADUATION IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN PORTO VELHO CITY: REASONS FOR ADMISSION, INTERRUPTION AND PERMANENCE

Abstract

In Brazil, the graduation in Physical Education (EDF) occurs in two types of course, Licentiate (LIC) and Bachelor (BAC). The present study aimed to investigate the reasons for entering, interrupting and staying in undergraduate courses in EDF in Porto Velho town, comparing LIC and BAC students. A total of 238 EDF students from two higher education institutions participated in this descriptive, quantitative and qualitative research, one public, with a LIC course and the other private, with a BAC course. Questionnaire with closed and open questions was used for data collection. Content analysis, with categorization of responses, was used for analysis and interpretation of responses, followed by presentation in frequency and percentages. The main reasons for admission were: personal (48.31%) and professional (16.39%) identification. Most undergraduate students didn't interrupt (63.44%) and never thought about giving up (69.48%). About interruption, extrinsic factors, related to family or self support (47,82%) or health problems (23,95%) were the most frequent reason. The main reasons for staying were liking/identifying with the EDF (28.14%); and opportunity/need to complete higher education (25.92%). The results show that the main reason for joining undergraduate courses in EDF differs from the main reason for permanence, finding that the experiences and contents of the courses bring students closer to a more adequate knowledge about the concrete reality of professional practice in such field, as as well as the skills required to do so. These results viabilize better compreehension about Brazilian reality about professional’s formation process.