The comparative evaluation of physical education teaching programs in Turkey and China according to the teachers views and opinions

Comparative Education is a discipline that describes national education systems, assists in defining the similarities and differences between educational systems in different countries, describes similar cases, and which provides new and beneficial recommendations and proposals concerning educational programs. The aim of this study is to perform a comparative evaluation of the physical education teaching programs in elementary schools in Turkey and China according to the opinions and views of teachers.The data necessary for this study were collected by using the ?Teacher Questionnaire Form? developed by Dr. Yaprak KALEMOĞLU and used in his doctoral dissertation entitled ?The Comparative Evaluation of the Physical Education Teaching Programs in Elementary Schools in Turkey and the United Kingdom According to the Opinions and Views of Teachers.? The validity and reliability of this questionnaire has been previously demonstrated.Based on the results of the study, it was seen that 75.4% of the teachers in Turkey did not participate to any training regarding a Physical Education Curriculum (PEC), which is necessary for the successful conduct of new education programs and curricula. The rate in China, on the other hand, was 43.6%. When the proportion of teachers participating to more than one education program was evaluated, it was observed that this rate was 4.2% in Turkey, while the rate in China was 30%. It was also observed that the majority of teachers in Turkey (52.8%) obtained information concerning PECs through other teachers and the media (TV, etc.), while teachers in Chine mostly attended the PEC-related courses and seminars (67.1%) provided by their Ministry of Education.Key Words: Comparative Education, Comparative Physical Education, Physical Education Curriculum, Turkey, China (East Turkestan)