What am I being assessed on? : A qualitative study of high school students perceptions of grades and assessment in Physical Education

Previous research shows that students have difficulty explaining what is assessed in Physical Education, and that teachers tend to place greater emphasis on character traits and engagement. Previous research also shows that intrinsic motivation is influenced by the three psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These are important for students’ development. The aim of this study is to examine how upper secondary school students perceive assessment in Physical Education and how this affects their motivation and engagement. A qualitative method was used, employing semi-structured interviews with five upper secondary school students from different educational programmes. The results show that the respondents perceived ball games and engagement as significant competencies in assessment, despite neither being explicitly stated in the governing documents. The respondents are driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation related to Physical Education, however, assessment does not affect their motivation to participate in lessons. The overall conclusion of this study is that the subject’s knowledge requirements need to be clarified to support students’ development, and that the teacher’s role in both assessment and feedback is crucial for students’ motivation.