Factors Influencing Elementary School Students' Interest in Physical Education, Sports, and Health Lessons

Abstract

Students’ interest is an important determinant of meaningful participation in Physical Education, Sports, and Health (PJOK), particularly at the elementary-school level where positive movement experiences can shape lifelong attitudes toward physical activity. This study aimed to analyze students’ interest in PJOK learning and to identify the internal and external factors associated with that interest at SDN Tambakromo 01. A quantitative approach with a causal-associative survey design was employed. The population consisted of 345 students, and the study involved 192 respondents from Grades IV, V, and VI. Data were collected using a four-point Likert-scale questionnaire covering three major variables: students’ interest (Y), internal factors (X₁), and external factors (X₂). Descriptive statistics were used to examine minimum and maximum scores, means, standard deviations, and item-level patterns. The results showed that students’ interest in PJOK was high, with a mean score of 10.15 ± 0.86, equivalent to approximately 3.38 per item. Internal factors obtained a mean score of 13.59 ± 1.00 or approximately 3.40 per item, indicating strong self-motivation, personal interest, health condition, and self-confidence. External factors produced a total mean of 13.81 ± 1.75; however, because this variable consisted of six items, the adjusted mean was only approximately 2.30 per item. The lowest external scores were found in sports facilities and infrastructure (M = 2.00 and 2.26), followed by teaching methods and peer-family support. These findings indicate that students possessed strong internal readiness and high interest in PJOK, while external learning support remained comparatively weaker. Therefore, improving instructional variation, sports facilities, and social support is essential for sustaining and strengthening students’ participation in PJOK.