Browsing by Author "Stèn, Laura Anna Katarina"

Objective. The objective of the study was to describe the parents' perceptions on liability and safety issues concerning physical education in schools. The liability issue arose 2013 due to a certain accident that occurred during a school PE lesson. The discussion on the matter culminated when OAJ (The Trade Union of Education in Finland) considered whether accident-prone sports should be banned in schools. This study examined the parents' views on who or what is liable and which factors affect the division of liability among these instances. The challenges in teaching PE have been analyzed by e.g. Poutala (2010), Hakala (1999) and Segercrantz (2001). In their Master's Thesis Kainulainen and Tikkanen (2002) have looked at the due process rights of teachers and at how teachers would operate in the case of a hypothetical accident. This study researches how parents view a similar situation and whom they consider liable in it. Method. Five parents of comprehensive school pupils were interviewed for the study. During the interview the parents reported their views concerning the special characteristics of PE defined by Poutala (2010). These characteristics include supervision, problems with grouping, illnesses and the hazards they cause, equipment and clothing as well as transfers to the location of the lesson. The parents also analyzed two accidents taking place during PE lessons and pondered on liabilities there. Results and conclusions. In the parents' point of view one person alone is not liable at schools. The liability was perceived to divide among the teacher, the pupil, the classmates, the parents and the provider of education. The age and skills of the pupil as well as the possible risks of the sport were seen as contributors to the division of liability. The parents saw that the riskier the sport, the more liable the teacher was. The special characteristics of PE were not seen as problematic. When it comes to grouping during PE lessons the parents viewed that pupils could study in mixed groups with boys and girls throughout primary school. A minority of those interviewed thought that pupils ought to transfer to the location of the lesson with the teacher and that if the pupil knows the way, they could go home independently from the location of the lesson. Some of the parents would allow pupils to be left without the teacher's supervision in the case of a group division during lesson. This study provides an insight onto how parents view the safety issues and the division of liability in the teaching of physical education. With the help of this study teachers are able to liken their views to those of the parents'.