A STUDY OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IN THE ROMANIAN PRIMARY EDUCATION

The evolution of the Romanian society in the recent years has generated changes in various fields. Consequently, the field of education has also suffered a number of transformations and adaptations to the European context of competence-based education.

The educational reform was necessary as significant structural changes have occurred in the education system. Accordingly, a new curriculum for primary school has been drafted for the subject Physical Education. This has brought significant changes at the conceptual level of the objectives of education at this age. This planning document has been implemented starting with the school year 2015-2016.
The study we have undertaken aims at finding out whether the experts in the field are aware of the existence of the new curriculum and, what is more, whether they get involved in its implementation. We also aim at finding out whether the teachers are aware of these changes and of the novelties brought forth by the new curriculum within the instructive-educational process.

To this effect, we have drafted and applied a questionnaire to Physical Education teachers who work with primary school pupils.
The questionnaire consisted of 15 closed-ended questions with a single choice. It was applied to 380 teachers in four counties from South-Eastern Romania (Galaţi, Brăila, Vrancea, Tulcea).

The results were both surprising and contradictory. Most of the expert have heard of a new curriculum for the subject Physical Education, but they are unable to tell what it brings new compared to the former one. 68% of the interviewees consider that the new curriculum does not bring any new, significant elements in point of contents of learning. An important aspect is that 75% of the experts believe that the present curriculum cannot reach its educational objectives as there are no assessment methods for them. Also, assessment through performance is regarded as relevant in the context in which physical exercise becomes a means for health, leisure and social integration and not one for sports and performance in the context of the general competences formulated by the new curriculum.

The main conclusion is that this new curriculum is not sufficiently known so as to be successfully implemented in the practical activities during the Physical Education class. We consider that information sessions should be organised in view of better explaining the proposed changes. It is necessary to consider the way in which the conceptual competences related to psycho-motor acquisitions, specialized language use in communication or behavioral aspects can be formed through contents and assessment