Module Title: Research Design and Critique

Assessment Title: Final Research Proposal

Assignment Title: Sports experience in primary and secondary school times and subsequent sport participation among students

1. IntroductionThis research will investigate sports experience in primary and secondary school times among students and their current participation in sports. This topic came about due to relevancy to researcher’s major in master’s course, sports event management. This research would provide finding about people’s motivation to participate in sports. The hypothesis of this research is that there is a correlation between sports experience in primary and secondary school times and subsequent sports involvement; degree of previous sports experience, such as frequency, duration and variation, is a catalyst of subsequent sports participation.

The research will provide data regarding former sports experience and current involvement, which allows education and sports related organisations and industries take advantage to understand current situation in this arena and develop their initiatives. Also, national health department could gain benefit from the research. This is because although public health care is critical issue all over the world, health promotion through physical activity could be one of solutions. In fact, physical activity is possibly decrease health care cost as Colditz (1999) estimated an economic cost of inactivity in the US is $24.3 billion and counterpart of obesity is $70 billion in 1995.

From precursory researches conducted by Curtis, et al (1999), Tammelin, et al (2003) and Telama, et al (2005), it is revealed that former sports experience is possibly enhance subsequent sports participation in later life in their studies. However, it was also pointed out that they focused on one ethnic cohort in each study, which indicates spaces to be fulfilled for testing the correlation above. In this legard, this research will arrange a survey to international students in the University of Brighton’s International College. It means the research can access various respondents, which have diversity in home country, educational background and social environment. This must provide validity and generality to this research.

2. Research Objectives• To investigate students’ former sports experience in their primary and secondary school

times• To investigate students’ current sport participation • To investigate how people’s attitude to sport has changed since they were at school

3. Research Questions• What sport experience did students have in their primary and secondary school times?• How much do students participate in currently?• How has students attitude to sport changed since they were at school?

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4. Literature ReviewRegarding sports experience at school, Bailey (2006) explained its backdrop and aim from educational perspective. Concerning former and subsequent sports participation, Curtis, et al (1999) revealed that relevance between intensive sports experience at high school and high level of sports participation in later life. Also, Tammelin, et al (2003) showed a correlation of frequent sports experience during adrescence and active adult sports involvement. Furthermore, Telama, et al (2005) demonstrated possibility of high level and long period sports experience in adrescence enhance adult sports activity.

Sports enable children to develop their various capabilities such as physical, emotional, social and cognitive abilities, and promote healthy and active lifestyle. Therefore, it is adopted in schools as a physical education, which concerned with school curriculum, and a sports activity, which are range of physical activities. On the other hand, school sports have an advantage to access almost all children, which means they equaly have opportunity to equip theirselves with fundamental motion skills and physical capability, it could be an essential factor of sports participation in their later life (Bailey, 2006).

In terms of relationship between sports experience in school time and subsequent sports participation, some researches showed their academic and statistic outcomes. For example, Curtis, et al (1999) conducted a survey to slightly under 10,000 Canadian in 1992. It found out that sports experience in adolescence positively affected adult sports participation as follows; If people had intensive sports experience in their high school, they were inclined to involve themselves in sports in later life compared with those who had less intensive sports experience and those who didn’t have. Also, Tammelin, et al (2003) investigated the relationship above to conduct a survey to nearly 8,000 Finnish at 1980 and 1997, the year when respondents aged 14 years old and 31 years old. This research sought the relevance on frequency and variation of sports, and concluded with following findings; Sports experience once a week for females and twice a week for men was relevant with high active sports involvement in later life. In addition, it proved that experience of intensive and endurance sports, such as skiing and running, in adolescence was a medium of adult physical activity. Furthermore, Telama, et al (2005) examined the relevance more precisely by means of six surveys, which was conducted from 1980 to 2001, for 5 age cohorts. This found out that high level and long period of sports experience at 9 years old to 18 years old were predicted to enhance adult physical activity.

From these precursory researches, correlation between sports experience in adolescence and sports participation in later life is highlighted. However, since they focused to track certain cohorts for a long time, they had limitation in diversity of respondents, which indicates possibility of lack of validity and generalisability to some extent. In fact, Tammelin, et al (2003) acknowledged that their study was concentrated on Finnish cohort and it couldn’t be generalised straightforwardly to other cases. Unlike these cases, this research will take advantage to access to international students who came from all over the world. Although this research has limitation in time scale in the same way as the other cases, this will provide up-to-date, valid and applicable findings.

Student ID Number: 13831640 | Module Code: PM002 | Tutor Name: Jonathan Dunn

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Meanwhile, Curtis, et al (1999) contended to take account of other possible catalysts that stimulate subsequent physical activities, such as gender, age and other social backgrounds. In fact, in his survey, it was revealed that the strongest predictor of sports involvement for female adults was school sports background whilst the counterpart for male adults was age. This shows variety of possible factor to be considered in this research.

5. Methodology5-1. Research Design• This is deductive research based on following hypothesis; there is a correlation between

sports experience in primary and secondary school times and subsequent sports involvement; degree of previous sports experience, such as frequency, duration and variation, is a catalyst of subsequent sports participation.

• Quantitive design will be used. This is because the research is based on hard information such as frequency, duration and variety of sports experience and participation.

• Non-random, non-probability and stratified sampling will be introduced. To secure validity and generalisability, proportion of nationality and gender of sample will be fit as precisely as possible to counterpart of whole students.

5-2. Research Method• Sample size will be at least 50 because of securing validity of the research.• Correspondents will be students in University of Brighton’s international College due to

accessibility and expectation for high return rate of questionnaire.• Questionnaire will be distributed in classes by hand because of possibility of high return

rate.• Retrospective questions will be included since the research is limited in time, can’t track

respondents for a long time. • Closed question, such as yes or no, numbers for frequency and length and period, will be

set because the research is based on quantitive design.

6. TimelineWeek 1 to 3 Development of literature reviewWeek 4 to 5 Design of questionnaireWeek 6 to 7 Collection of questionnaire and analyse of dataWeek 8 to 9 Writing and revising a draft report Week 10 Submission of a final report

7. Ethical Consideration• Informed consent should be mounted. Since whole respondents are international students,

whose first languages are unlikely English, careful instruction should be taken, and candidates will be asked consent form to give their permission.

• Providing researcher’s name and position to avoid deliberate deception. In this case, unveiling of them might positively affects on quantity and quality of returned questionnaire due to credibility of the research.

• Providing appropriate definition or explanation for confounding words. This is because since respondents have various cultural and educational background, words on a questionnaire should be precisely understood. This would includes educational period;

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some countries, such as Japan, adopt 3 grades between primary and secondary educations, and name of sports; football means associated football in British culture nations whilst it means American football in American counterparts.

• Secure confidence to avoid harm. Since the research will collect personal information, such as educational background and health related issue, questionnaire will be anonymous and collected data will be used for only this research among the researcher and a tutor.

• This research as well as question will be neutrally presented to avoid harm. Since not every student experienced sport at school or positively experienced, introduction and explanation will be carefully undertaken.

8. Bibliography1. Bailey, R. (2006). Physical Education and Sport in schools: A Review of Benefits and

Outcomes. Journal of School Health, 76(8), 397-401. 2. Curtis, J., McTeer, W., White, P. (1999). Exploring Effects of School Sport Experiences on

Sport Participation in Later Life. Sociology of Sport Journal, 16, pp348-3653. Golditz, G. A. (1999). Economic costs of obesity and inactivity. Medicine & science in

sports & exercise, 31(11), Supplement 1, pp5663-5667.4. Tammelin, T., Nayha, S., Hills, A. P., Jarvelin, M. (2003). Adolescent Participation in

Sports and Adult Physical Activity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 24(1), pp22-28.

5. Telama, R., Yang, X., Viikari, J., Valimaki, I., Wanne, O., Raitakari, O. (2005). Physical Activity from Childfood to Adultfood: A 21 year Tracking Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28(3), pp267-273.

Word Count: 1,481 words

Student ID Number: 13831640 | Module Code: PM002 | Tutor Name: Jonathan Dunn

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