Learning experiences of Olympic values in School Physical Education: an analysis based on action research

Abstract

This study analyzed the perceptions of elementary school students regarding the learning of Olympic values through different experiences developed in Physical Education classes throughout the 2025 school year. Methodologically, it is characterized as an action research study with a mixed-methods approach and a descriptive and exploratory nature, conducted with 49 sixth- and seventh-grade students from a public school in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire administered at the end of the school year, addressing different learning experiences developed as part of the pedagogical project “Sport and Values.” The results indicated that the different experiences investigated contributed, according to the students’ perceptions, to the learning of Olympic values, although with different levels of perceived contribution and significance. When asked which experiences they considered most significant for learning values, Physical Education classes and the Physical Education Games were the experiences most frequently indicated by the students. Regarding the values learned most, a balanced distribution was observed among friendship, excellence, and respect. It is concluded that students reported favorable perceptions of value learning through practical, reflective, and contextualized experiences, reinforcing the importance of integrating experience, pedagogical mediation, and critical reflection in school Physical Education.