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HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN TURKEY

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TURKEY

HISTORY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN

TURKEY
Giyasettin Demirhan, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Hacettepe
University, Ankara
Ferman Konukman, College of Art and Sciences, Sport Sciences
Program, Qatar University, Doha

Correspondence
Giyasettin Demirhan
demirhang@gmail.com
Phone: 90 532 382 5352

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to review the historical

development of physical education in Turkey up to modern times. In
the process, beginning from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of
Turkey, the early physical education courses were offered in Military
High School in 1864 and in Navy High Schools since 1884.
Application of physical education courses into other program areas.
Teacher education accelerated by the foundation of the young
Turkish Republic. The first course to train physical education
teachers was offered at Çapa Girls Teacher Training School in
Istanbul in 1926. In 1932 Gazi Teacher Training School and Terbiye
Institution Physical Education Training branch were established in
Ankara. Recently, more than 70 higher education institutions have
begun providing such services. Physical education courses at
primary, secondary and higher education levels are being offered
two-five hours weekly including extra curricular activities such as
scouting and sport organizations among the schools.

Key Words: Physical education, physical education teacher

education.
 Sports is the literature of the physical education, physical education
is a branch of public health, and gymnastics is language of the
physical education. Movement is a sort of nourishment for the body.
If less, it does not feed, if too much, it does harm.
Selim Sirri Tarcan (1932-1943)

Physical Education in Schools

It is known that in the period ranging from the Ottoman

Empire to the Republic of Turkey, early physical education courses
were offered in Military High Schools in 1864 and in Navy High
Schools in 1884 (Abali, 1974, pp. 95). In 1869, National Education
General Directorate listed “Gymnastics” as a course offering. Also
during this early period the Galatasaray High School offered a
physical education course that was taught by French teachers
(Kahraman, 1995, pp. 641).
The most significant figure in the organization of physical
education theory in Turkey was Selim Sirri Tarcan. Tarcan began to
work in the Military Forces after finishing his education in Sweden.
Then he was assigned to the Ministry of Education as physical
education inspector in July 14, 1910. But as there was no physical
education course, he asked, “What will I inspect?” The minister’s
reply was interesting: “You will be both founder and inspector. We
have improved the Male’s Teacher School. Now its program includes
physical education courses twice each week. You will give lectures
there and train teachers. We will consider Girl’s School later”
(Tarcan, 1946, pp.47). Consequently, physical education began to be
considered in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
In 1911, physical education courses began to be offered in the first
and second years of high schools as an optional course. In 1913,
“Physical Education and School Plays” courses appeared in primary
schools (Okan, 1975, pp.8). Tarcan was trying to achieve his goals
while fighting against two fronts: Conservatism and the proponents
of old gymnastics “(Asir, 1950, pp.68). Near the end of the Ottoman
Empire, around 1916 and 1917, two views were dominant regarding
physical education. The first was “John Amaros Gymnastics” that
appeared as result of the impact of the Amaros Gymnastics. The
second was the “Swedish Gymnastics” that was supported by Tarcan
and made widespread by Pehr Henrik Ling. In contrast to the
Amaros approach, the Swedish gymnastics was argued to be easer,
soft. Thus, it could be stated that Swedish Gymnastics approach aims
at health. Faik Ustunidman, one of the proponents of Amaros
Gymnastics and a physical education teacher, considered Swedish
Gymnastics to be for woman (Aray, 1959, pp. 80-81). However,
Tarcan (1940, pp. 85-88) stated that Swedish Gymnastics depended
heavily on training, physiology and anatomy. For Tarcan, its aim
was to provide coherence of the body. This view assumed that the
public should accept physical education and sports work.

Picture 1: From Selim Sirri Tarcan’s Album

In 1983, physical education courses began to be offered as an

optional course in universities. The policy is still in effect today. In
elementary, secondary and high schools, physical education courses
were required for a long time in Turkey, and are required today. The
courses are offered five hours during the first three years of basic
education, two hours in the fourth-eight grades and two hours in high
schools. In 2014, there were 17,532,088 students and 37,000
physical education teachers in 56,506 schools (TUIK, 2015). The
number of students per teacher is 438. The number of teachers per
school is 0,65. There are significant imbalance regarding the number
of teachers and their distribution among schools.
Today, especially in the western world, a standard-based
curriculum is more common than the traditional curriculum.
According to this approach, the curriculum standards are determined
and it is assumed that children and adolescents will achieve those
standards at the end of the education process. The following question
can be asked here, “What is the meaning of standard?” Standard is a
rule or principle that is teaches students what they need to know in a
quality physical education and sport program (NASPE, 2012). It can
be seen that there is not a big difference between the standards of
Physical Education Curriculum in different countries like Turkey as
follows (MEB, 2007; 2013):
 The students have certain competences in movement patterns
and kinesthetic skills in order to participate in physical
activities. While they learn and perform physical activities,
they acknowledge the concepts, principles, rules, strategies
and tactics related to movement.
 The students participate in and maintain physical activities
to an extent that will keep them healthy.
 The students participate in physical activities regularly.
 The students perform responsible personal and social
behaviors during the physical activities.
When implement the lessons, physical education teachers should
establish a relationship with the standards and conduct their lessons
taking into consideration the ages and developmental characteristics
of children and adolescents in light of the learning fields in physical
education. The main learning fields are movement skills, knowledge,
active participation and healthy life. Motor skills and knowledge
consist of athletic activities, gymnastics, dance, games, swimming
and outdoor-adventure activities. Active participation and healthy
life include regular physical activity related to health. The lessons
are conducted according to the weight of the mentioned fields; the
assessment and evaluation activities are conducted at the end of the
lessons (Demirhan and Saçlı, 2013).
 The most important factor in conducting a physical education
lesson, with regard to the curriculum, is to enable participation and
to develop the skills of the individuals according to their own
capacities. Individuals with more developed skills will be more
participative. Being participant means having the basic physical
skills. According to Whitehead (2000, pp.16), the participative
individual has physical literacy and is considered physically
educated. An individual with the abovementioned characteristics is
assumed to participate in physical activities that s/he has learnt in the
physical education lessons at school, or in other activities related to
the physical education course after s/he has graduated. Therefore,
physical education lessons and extra-curricular activities should be
conducted on a quality basis. This is possible only with qualified
physical education teachers conducting quality lessons. As the
teachers are educated in higher education institutions, objectives and
contents of the physical education teacher education programs
should be consistent with physical education curriculums at schools.
Otherwise, the situation would be similar to restaurants with
fabulous cooks, but only a few customers (Demirhan and Sacli,
2013).

Physical Education Teacher Education

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of young Turkey,
emphasized education as a main force to establish modern Turkish
society. During that time, teachers were key elements reform, and
they had better economic and moral living conditions (Karagozoglu,
1991). During this period, American Educator John Dewey was
invited by the Turkish government in 1924 to promote educational
reform. Dewey spent three months in Turkey and prepared a report
about the Turkish education system. He recommended that the
Ministry of Education follow leadership toward more progressive
and effective modern schools in order to promote the needs of a
contemporary nation (Brickman, 1984-1985). Dewey’s report
indicated that the main purpose of the Turkish educational system
was to achieve an independent Turkey in the contemporary world
(Bursalioglu, 1991).
During the early decades of the 20th century, physical
education was a field of men because of the previous socio-cultural
structure of the Ottoman Empire. Although some efforts were made
to include women in such activities, these efforts were unwanted by
religious authorities of the period. “The First Science Council” was
forced to delay its activities in 1922. It resumed work during July
and August of 1923. Tarcan was also a member of that council
(Yucel, 1994 pp.21). The fifth article of the council’s work
concerned “Scouting and Physical Education”. While designing the
activity program, the council considered “High School Scouting
Administration Principles” and a Physical Education Boys’ Teacher
School”. These were incorporated into the design of the program
(Dagli and Akturk, 1988, pp.16). After that it was planned to open a
physical education teacher school in 1926. A sports complex near
Çapa Girls’ Teacher School in Istanbul was completed and a
Gymnastics Teacher Program was started. It presented theoretical
and applied courses for both males and females for a one-year
period. Tarcan was the administrator of the program. Three Swedish
teachers were assigned to the program, Inge Neiman, Rangar
Johonson and Suen Alexanderson.

Picture 2: Selim Sirri Tarcan, Inge Neiman, Rangar Johonson, Suen

Alexanderson and Women Gymnastics Teachers

The training program included courses about the theory and

application of physical education, physiology, anatomy, rough
behaviors, public health, the sport theory, and applied courses.
Primary school teachers trained in physical education and with a
strong ability and desire were invited to participate. Those who
passed the professional ability test participated in three months of
theoretical and applied courses. After three months, the participants
take another exam. Those who passed the exam continued to
participate in the course for another three months. Those who
completed the course successfully were assigned as “Physical
Education Teachers” at the secondary school level (Guven, 1996,
pp.75).
From these courses, 148 men and 63 women graduated
(Bilge, 1989, pp.67). Those who successfully passed the final exam
were sent abroad for further education (Abali, 1974, pp.96). During
the beginning of the course, Tarcan wrote a guide for physical
education teacher. Tarcan discussed how to teach movements, how
to organize sports activities, and problems related to equipment in
this guide. Also, the guide argued the notion of “neither an ill
thinker, nor an unwise wrestler” (Karakucuk, 1992, pp.50). As a
result of the growing need for physical education teachers, “Gazi
Secondary Teacher School and Physical Education Department”
was founded in 1932 (Yucel, 1994, pp.83). This program was
chaired by German Kurt Dainas. The lecturers at the school were all
Tarcan’s students. The program, which lasted three years, could be
regarded as a continuation of the earlier program. Some of the
courses included in the second program were, theory of gymnastics,
methods of teaching, sports and games, anatomy, and foreign
language (Karatun, 1973). The program was re-designed to require
only two years of study in 1945 but it was changed back to three
years in 1948.
As physical education became more wide spread in Turkey,
more programs were founded The Atatürk Education Institution was
started in Istanbul in 1974. In 1975 and 1976, Youth and Sports
Academies were founded in Ankara, Istanbul and Manisa
respectively to teach sport managers. During 1978 and 1982, these
institutions were all converted into Higher Teacher Education
Schools. Also the Ege University School of Physical Education and
Sports was established in 1976 in Izmir and the Middle East
Technical University Physical Education, Sports and Recreation
Department was founded in 1979.
Parallel to these developments in higher education, the
academies were attached to the Department of Physical Education
and Sports in 1982. During this period, there were only four physical
education teacher training departments. In 1989, another department
was established at Hacettepe University in Ankara, the School of
Sports Sciences and Technology. By 1992 the number of physical
education teacher education schools had grown to 14. In 2000, there
are 47 such departments and school about physical education and
sport. Now, in 2015, there are more than 70. In the meantime, in
2014, six schools were established as Faculty of Sport Sciences.
Physical Education Teacher Education is one of the departments of
the new organization. The duration of all programs is four years. An
analysis of the curriculum of these programs showed that the courses
of general culture include, Turkish language, foreign language,
research methods, etc. Those of subject matter knowledge contain
physiology, anatomy, and psychology, as well as skill domain such
as soccer, basketball, educational games, health related fitness, etc.
The courses within the Teaching Profession Knowledge area are
teaching methods, class management, educational, psychology,
material development and design and school application etc.

Conclusion

When it comes to physical education and physical education

teachers, physical education activities, which will support the health
and holistic development of children and adolescents, and make
them happy as well as healthy, should be carefully designed, and
highly qualified physical education teachers should be educated in
their profession. Therefore, when children and young people
participate to the daily physical education in school regularly, they
will become a physically educated people. This is important because
physically-educated person has learnt the necessary skills for certain
physical activities, is physically fit, participates in and enjoys
physical education skills, knows the importance and advantages of
participating in physical activities, cares healthy life style,
understands the contribution of physical education to personal and
social development, and takes individual and social responsibility
during the physical education lessons. In this context, the estimation
of future physical education and PETE programs to be conducted are
given below:
  Physical education teachers and teacher educators will
include health-related physical education and information
communication technology in order to improve student
learning.
 Physical education teachers and teacher educators will
improve and develop their teaching skills and knowledge
continuously.
 University teaching staff will be specialized even more in
physical education, physical activity, recreation, exercise,
and sub-disciplines of human movement and sports
sciences.
 Distance education will grow up in higher education.
 Teachers will be active in educating and leading instead of
being regular physical education teachers.
 Outdoor-adventure activities and swimming will gain more
attention because of complicated city life.
 Extra-curricular physical education programs will be
increased.
 Physical education teachers will want to have different
certificates related to physical activities and exercise.
 Physical education teacher education and adapted physical
education teacher education will increase.
 School practice will be more important for pre-service
teachers.
As a result, physical education should be explained in
relation to schools, students and physical education teachers.
Because, physical education curriculums in schools consist of basic
movement skills, specialized movement skills, sports skills and
health related fitness. Physical education teacher education program
is affected by the expectations and the culture of a society. Changes
in school practices and the contents of physical education within a
socially transformative period also shape the contents of a physical
education teacher education program.
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