The role of the educational curriculum of physical education colleges in developi̇ng of students' mental skills and their goal orientation: Case of Duhok and Salahaddin Universities

Physical education faculties aim to educate individuals who are beneficial for the society with their curriculum. This curriculum should be based on the theoretical and practical aspects that aim to develop different aspects of student's personalities by equipping them with the experiences, skills and social life that will improve students' mental and physical abilities. This study aims to reveal the role of the curriculum in physical education faculties that improve the mental skills and orientation of students in the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government. This study also aims to determine the general status of the mental skills and goal orientation levels of students studying at the physical education faculty, and the differences in the levels of students' mental skills, goal orientation according to university, gender, age and class variables. The study also aims to reveal the effect of the teaching curriculum taught in these faculties on improving students' mental skills and their goal orientation. In the study, 422 students from the physical education faculties of Duhok and Salahaddin universities chosen by purposeful sampling technique were interviewed. 164 of these students were female and 258 were male students. The distribution of iv students according to the grades is 111 (male-female) from 1st grade, 118 (female-male) from 2nd grade, 134 (female-male) from 3rd grade and 80 (female-male) from 4th grade. In the study, two tools were used to collect data and measure variables. One of these tools is the type of scale designed by the researcher in order to measure mental skills based on the tools and theoretical rituals used in previous studies, and the second is the type of scale designed by the researcher to measure the participant goal orientation based on the tools and theoretical rituals used in previous studies. One of the scales used in the study is the scale developed by Elliot & Church. In the study, the data obtained from the scales applied at the beginning and the end of the academic year were analyzed through SPSS. The analyzes used were (Arithmetic Mean- Standard Deviation- Simple Correlation Coefficient (Pearson) - Analysis of Variance Test (F) - Test of Symmetric Samples (t-test) - percentage ratio). As a result of the work done; It has been observed that the curricula of the physical education faculties in the Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government have contributed positively to the development of the mental skills of the students studying on the curriculum. It has also been determined that the teaching curriculum applied in these faculties plays a major role in improving the orientation of physical education students towards their goals. As a result, analyzes made on different parameters showed that the teaching curriculum applied in physical education faculties had a positive effect on students. As a matter of fact, it has been revealed in the study that this curriculum is compatible with modern trends in education that deals with thought development and mental aspects.