Physical Education Interim Benchmarks Assessment at Elementary School in Portugal - teachers’ expectations

Abstract

The present study focuses on the perceptions of elementary school teachers regarding the Physical Education Interin Benchmarks Assessment (PEIBA) carried out by the students of the 2nd year of school in 2016/2017. With the role of assessing students’ level of development, performance and motor response, these tests were structured around competences of 3 program blocks (Skills and Manipulations, Displacements and Balance and Games). For the data collection, a questionnaire submitted to previous validation was structured, which was answered online by 239 elementary school teachers in the exercise of functions in several areas of the country. The data were treated in terms of descriptive statistics and content analysis. The results point to a low valorization of PEIBA simultaneously with a great dispersion of opinions about its importance. The teachers generally consider the students prepared positively for the PEIBA, hoping that they have less difficulties in the field of “Children’s Games”, at the same time that their vast majority has not changed in their Physical Education classes due to the realization of PEIBA.