Aquatic activities in secondary school teaching in the Region of Murcia. A qualitative study

Abstract

The work presented results from an investigation about the presence and development of aquatic activities in the subject Physical Education in Secondary Education and about the educational nature of these activities, from the point of view of specialist teachers. It was done in educational centres of the Region of Murcia, under the promotion of the Department of Education of the Region of Murcia. It was developed through a qualitative study based on 30 semistructured interviews. The results show insufficient training in the specialists, how positive aquatic activities are for holistic training, and the markedly educational nature of these activities. Results also highlight the difficulties for including these activities in the curriculum,
the low status they are given, and that Lorca and Cehegín are the towns where these activities are more developed and the city of Murcia and Jumilla where they are done less frequently. Some of the findings are: the need for teacher basic and further training, the recognition of a higher status for aquatic activities as compared with other physical education activities and theovercome of the drawbacks that appear in the implementation of these activities.