Managing information on the physical education research field: Bibliometric analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2020.0404

Keywords:

physical education, information management, bibliometrics, research profiling, keywords co occurrence analysis

Abstract

Background and Study Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the development of scientific production and to map thematic coverage of research in physical education. The research process is focused on the following study questions: (1) how has the research productivity developed in the physical education research field?, (2) who are the main contributors (countries, universities, authors, source titles) to the amassing research output in the field?, (3) what are the leading thematic areas attracting the most attention of the academia?, (4) what are the emerging topics in the research field? Material and Methods: The Scopus database was used as a source of bibliometric data for the research sampling process. The research sample (N=9,224) consisted of the publications including the phrase ‘physical education’ in their titles. In order to achieve the aim of the study, we employed bibliometric methods i.e. research profiling and keywords co-occurrence analysis. We conducted general publication profiling to assess the trends in scientific production and to recognize leading contributors to the research field. We applied keywords co-occurrence analysis in order to identify and explore major thematic areas as well as emerging topics within the research field. VOSviewer software was used to support the analysis process and visualize the findings. Results: The study shows that physical education is a well-established research field with a long tradition. In the 2010s, it has received an increasing attention of academia which resulted in breakthrough growth in the number of publications indexed in Scopus. The amassing research output is distributed over 26 subject areas. Social Sciences, Medicine and Health Professions are the subject areas grouping the highest number of publications. The leading contributors to the research field are: the most productive country – the United States, the most productive research institution – Loughborough University, the United Kingdom, the most prolific author – David Kirk from the University of Strathclyde, the United Kingdom, the first choice source title – Teoriya i Praktika Fizicheskoy Kultury. Within the physical education research field, there are identified five leading thematic clusters related to: (1) physical education didactics, (2) physical activity of school pupils, (3) physical education of adolescents, (4) human motor competence, (5) physical activity of adults. Emerging topics include the following issues: (1) physical education teachers and their training/education, (2) physical education in the tertiary education context, (3) physical education in the secondary education context. Conclusions: The study contributes to better understanding of development patterns in research on physical education. It provides an added value for managing information on scientific productivity in the research field. Through discovering leading thematic areas and emerging topics within the research field, the study points out the issues important both for further research and development of theory as well as for educational and business practice.

Author Biographies

Mateusz Tomanek, Nicolaus Copernicus University

mtomanek@umk.pl; Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University; ul. Gagarina 13a, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.

Andrzej Lis, Nicolaus Copernicus University

andrzejlis@econ.umk.pl; Faculty of Economic Sciences and Management, Nicolaus Copernicus University; ul. Gagarina 13a, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.

References

1. Stothart B. What is physical education? New Zeal J Heal Phys Educ Recreat, 1992;25:7–9.

2. Rosa S, Leta J. Physical education: A multifaceted research field. 12th Int. Conf. Sci. Inf. ISSI 2009. International Society for Scientometrics and Informetrics; 2009. P. 986–7.

3. Whitehead M. Physical Literacy: Throughout the Lifecourse. London: Routledge; 2010.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203881903

4. Giblin S, Collins D, Button C. Physical literacy: Importance, assessment and future directions. Sport Med, 2014;44:1177–84.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0205-7

5. Edwards LC, Bryant AS, Keegan RJ, Morgan K, Jones AM. Definitions, foundations and associations of physical literacy: A systematic review. Sport Med, 2017;47:113–26.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0560-7

6. Chen C-C (JJ), Holmes ME, Wood K, Ryuh Y, Hodges Kulinna P. Are you better than a 12-year-old student? A pilot study to explore physical literacy in preservice physical education teachers. Phys Educ, 2020;77:130–53.
https://doi.org/10.18666/tpe-2020-v77-i1-8798

7. Yi KJ, Cameron E, Patey M, Loucks-Atkinson A, Loeffler TA, Sullivan AM, et al. Future directions for physical literacy education: Community perspectives. J Phys Educ Sport, 2020;20:123–30.
https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2020.01016

8. Hyndman B, SueSee B, McMaster N, Harvey S, Jefferson-Buchanan R, Cruickshank V, et al. Physical education across the international media: A five-year analysis. Sport Educ Soc, 2020;25:274–91.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1583640

9. Fan B, Gan F. Bibliometric analysis of articles on physical education idea published from 2005 to 2009. Geomatics Inf Sci Wuhan Univ, 2010;35:193–5.

10. Hinojo-Lucena FJ, Aznar-Díaz I, Cáceres-Reche MP, Romero-Rodríguez JM. Análisis cientimétrico de las publicaciones indexadas en journal citation reports sobre educación física [Scientometric analysis of the publications indexed in journal citation reports on physical education]. Movimento, 2019;25:e25044. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.88722

11. Reverter Masià J, Hernández González V, Jové Deltell C, de Jesus Fonseca T, Legaz-Arrese A. La productividad científica en WoS y el índice H de hirchs del área de Educación Física en España y Brasil: Productividad y comparación entre países [Web of Science production and the index h Hirsch of physical education teachers: Comparative study between Spain and Brazil]. Movimento, 2013;19:125–47. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.36582

12. Reverter-Masía J, Hernández-González V, Jove-Deltell C, Fonseca T, Legaz-Arrese A. Producción de artículos en la base de datos Web of Science y Scopus sobre educación física: Estudio comparativo entre España y Brasil [Papers production in the database Web of Science and Scopus about physical education: Comparative study between Spain and Brazil]. Transinformacao 2014;26:114–24. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.1590/0103-37862014000200001

13. Prieto-Benavides DH, Palacios A, Cardozo LA, Correa JE, Ramírez-Vélez R. Capacidad científica e investigadora de los profesionales de educación en Colombia [Scientific and research capacity among Colombian physical education professionals]. Apunt Educ Fis y Deport, 2016:19–27. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.5672/apunts.2014-0983.es.(2016/1).123.02

14. Barczyński BJ. Ranking of Polish physical education higher schools based on the articles published in 2009-2012 indexed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Arch Budo, 2013;9:273–96.

15. Barczyński BJ. Preferences of the employees of the Polish academies of physical education concerning articles published in Polish journals on sports science and sports medicine, included in the ministerial list. Arch Budo, 2010;6:101–10.

16. Barczyński BJ. The first ranking of the scientific units of Polish physical education higher schools based on the monographs published in 2009-2012 indexed by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Arch Budo, 2014;10:79–90.

17. Reverter Masiá J, Hernández González V, Jové Deltell MC, Legaz Arrese A. Indicadores de producción de los profesores de educación física y didáctica de la expresión corporal en España en la Web of Science [Production indicators of teachers of physical education and didactics of corporal expression in Spain in Web of Science]. Perspect Em Cienc Da Inf, 2013;18:3–23. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-99362013000300002

18. Hernández González V, Reverter-Masia J, Jové-Deltell C. Producción científica de los profesores del área de Educación Física y deportiva en Cataluña (quinquenio 2005-2009 versus 2010-2014) [Scientific production of the professors of physical education and sport in Catalonia (2005-2009 versus 2010-2014)]. Sport TK-Revista Euroam Ciencias Del Deport, 2017;6:17–24. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.6018/280361

19. Lagos Hernández RI, Pérez-Gutiérrez M. Análisis bibliométrico de las tesis de pregrado: el caso de Pedagogía en Educación Física de la Universidad Autónoma de Chile (2007-2012) [Bibliometric analysis of the dissertations: Physical education degree’s case of the Universidad Autónoma de Chile]. Rev Iberoam Educ, 2016;70:181–200. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.35362/rie70180

20. Miri M, Kashef SM, Moharamzade M. The application of research methods in physical education and exercise science master’s thesis, University of Uremia and Tabriz (1384-1389). Life Sci J, 2012;9:4376–9.

21. Barczyński BJ, Bak R, Czarny W, Kalina RM. Preferred by Polish students of physical education subject matter and type of bachelor theses in 2008-2010. Arch Budo, 2011;7:41–7.

22. Perrino Peña M, Vicente Pedraz M. Concepciones de deporte y educación física en la revista Citius, Altius, Fortius [Conceptions of sport and physical education in the Citius, Altius, Fortius journal]. Rev Int Med y Ciencias La Act Fis y Del Deport, 2012;12:66–82. (In Spanish).

23. Carneiro FFB, Neto AF, Matos JMC, Dos Santos Nazário ME, Dos Santos W. A journal on the move: Contributions to the socio-cultural and pedagogical subfield of Brazilian physical education (2004-2014). Movimento, 2016;22:11–34.
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.59486

24. Cassani Matos JM, Schneider O, da Silva Mello A, Ferreira Neto A, dos Santos W. A produção acadêmica sobre conteúdos de ensino na educação física escolar [The academic production on teaching contents in physical education]. Movimento, 2013;19:123–48. (In Portuguese).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.34213

25. León-Díaz Ó, Martínez-Muñoz LF, Santos-Pastor ML. Gamificación en Educación Física: un análisis sistemático de fuentes documentales [Gamification in physical education: A systematic analysis of documentary sources]. Rev Iberoam Ciencias La Act Física y El Deport, 2019;8:110. (In Spanish).
https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.2019.v8i1.5791

26. Gómez-García G, Rodríguez-Jiménez C, Ramos-Navas-Parejo M. La realidad virtual en el área de educación física [Virtual reality in physical education area]. J Sport Heal Res, 2019;11:177–86. (In Spanish).

27. Wiggers ID, Reis NS, Silva LRT, de Lima MM, Freitas T da C, Praça TR de M, et al. Um “raio-X” da produção do conhecimento sobre educação física escolar: Análise de periódicos de 2006 a 2012 [An “X-ray” of knowledge production on school physical education: Analysis of journals published from 2006 to 2012]. Movimento, 2015;21:831–45. (In Portuguese).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.50517

28. Dos Santos W, Frossard ML, Matos JMC, Neto AF. Avaliação em educação física escolar: Trajetória da produção acadêmica em periódicos (1932-2014) [Assessment in physical education: Academic production in journals (1932-2014)]. Movimento, 2018;24:9–22. (In Portuguese).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.63067

29. Barreira J, Gonçalves MCR, Medeiros DCC De, Galatti LR. Produção acadêmica em futebol e futsal feminino: Estado da arte dos artigos científicos nacionais na área da educação física [Academic research on women’s football and futsal: The current state of scientific articles in physical education]. Movimento, 2018;24:607–18. (In Portuguese).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.80030

30. Gomes I, Almeida FQ, Marinotte A, Sampaio A, Rossini S. O corpo como tema da produção do conhecimento: Uma análise bibliométrica em cinco periódicos da educação física Brasileira [The body as subject for knowledge production: A bibliometric analysis of five physical education journals]. Movimento, 2018;24:427–40. (In Portuguese).
https://doi.org/10.22456/1982-8918.73701

31. Porter AL, Kongthon A, Lu J-CC. Research profiling: Improving the literature review. Scientometrics, 2002;53:351–70.
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014873029258

32. He Q. Knowledge discovery through co-word analysis. Libr Trends, 1999;48:133–59.

33. Martinez H, Jaime A, Camacho J. Relative absorptive capacity: A research profiling. Scientometrics, 2012;92:657–74.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0652-6

34. Sudolska A, Lis A, Błaś R. Cloud computing research profiling: Mapping scholarly community and identifying thematic boundaries of the field. Soc Sci, 2019;8:112.
https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8040112

35. Sudolska A, Lis A, Chodorek M. Research profiling for responsible and sustainable innovations. Sustainability, 2019;11:6553.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236553

36. Guo D, Chen H, Long R, Lu H, Long Q. A co-word analysis of organizational constraints for maintaining sustainability. Sustainability, 2017;9:1928.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su9101928

37. Lis A, Tomanek M. Sport management: Thematic mapping of the research field. J Phys Educ Sport, 2020;20:1201–8.
https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2020.s2167

38. van Eck NJ, Waltman L. Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 2010;84:523–38.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3

39. van Eck NJ, Waltman L. VOSviewer Manual. Universiteit Leiden; 2018.

40. Donohue JC. Understanding Scientific Literature: A Bibliometric Approach. Cambridge: MIT Press; 1974.

41. Ní Chróinín D, Coulter M, Parker M. “We took pictures”: Children’s meaning-making in physical education. J Teach Phys Educ, 2020;39:216–26.
https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2019-0019

42. Sun H, Li W, Shen B. Learning in physical education: A self-determination theory perspective. J Teach Phys Educ, 2017;36:277–91.
https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2017-0067

43. Högman J, Augustsson C, Hedström P. Let’s do those 60 minutes! Children’s perceived landscape for daily physical activity. Sport Educ Soc, 2020;25:395–408.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1610374

44. Tannehill D, MacPhail A, Walsh J, Woods C. What young people say about physical activity: The children’s sport participation and physical activity (CSPPA) study. Sport Educ Soc, 2015;20:442–62.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2013.784863

45. Fullmer MO, Wilkinson C, Prusak KA, Eggett D, Pennington T. Adolescent physical activity and motivational profiles while keeping a physical activity record. J Teach Phys Educ, 2018;37:1–11.
https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2017-0072

46. Yli-Piipari S, Kokkonen J. An application of the expectancy-value model to understand adolescents’ performance and engagement in physical education. J Teach Phys Educ, 2014;33:250–68.
https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2013-0067

47. Spessato BC, Gabbard C, Valentini NC. The role of motor competence and body mass index in children’s activity levels in physical education classes. J Teach Phys Educ, 2013;32:118–30.
https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.32.2.118

48. Graber KC, Woods AM, Castelli D. Motor competence, physical fitness, and participation in physical activity: Do children meet the standards? J Teach Phys Educ, 2007;26:337–424.

49. Weinberg D, Stevens GWJM, Bucksch J, Inchley J, De Looze M. Do country-level environmental factors explain cross-national variation in adolescent physical activity? A multilevel study in 29 European countries. BMC Public Health, 2019;19:680.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6908-9

50. van Tuyckom C, Scheerder J. Sport for all? Insight into stratification and compensation mechanisms of sporting activity in the 27 European Union member states. Sport Educ Soc, 2010;15:495–512.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2010.514746

51. Kjønniksen L, Fjørtoft I, Wold B. Attitude to physical education and participation in organized youth sports during adolescence related to physical activity in young adulthood: A 10-year longitudinal study. Eur Phys Educ Rev, 2010;15:139–54.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X09345231

52. Bendíková E, Dobay B. Physical and sport education as a tool for development of a positive attitude toward health and physical activity in adulthood. Eur J Contemp Educ, 2017;6:14–21.
https://doi.org/10.13187/ejced.2017.1.14

53. Haycock D, Smith A. Sports participation and health during periods of educational transition: A study of 30-35-year-olds in north-west England. Sport Educ Soc, 2014;19:168–85.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2011.637551

54. Lambert K, Penney D. Curriculum interpretation and policy enactment in health and physical education: Researching teacher educators as policy actors. Sport Educ Soc, 2020;25:378–94.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2019.1613636

55. Cheon SH, Reeve J, Ntoumanis N. A needs-supportive intervention to help PE teachers enhance students’ prosocial behavior and diminish antisocial behavior. Psychol Sport Exerc, 2018;35:74–88.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.11.010

56. Zhou B. Smart classroom and multimedia network teaching platform application in college physical education teaching. Int J Smart Home, 2016;10:145–56.
https://doi.org/10.14257/ijsh.2016.10.10.14

57. Aimin L, Jianjun L, Ganchen T, Yuanping C, Shaoyong W. Research on the inquiry teaching model of men’s basketball teaching in college physical education based on network information technology. Int J Smart Home, 2015;9:169–78.
https://doi.org/10.14257/ijsh.2015.9.10.19

58. Zhong Z. Design and application of university physical education system based on computer aided system. IPPTA Q J Indian Pulp Pap Tech Assoc, 2018;30:681–6.

59. Sparks C, Dimmock J, Lonsdale C, Jackson B. Modeling indicators and outcomes of students’ perceived teacher relatedness support in high school physical education. Psychol Sport Exerc, 2016;26:71–82.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2016.06.004

60. Liu JD, Chung PK. Development and initial validation of the psychological needs satisfaction scale in physical education. Meas Phys Educ Exerc Sci, 2014;18:101–22.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1091367X.2013.872106

Downloads

Published

2020-08-30

How to Cite

1.
Tomanek M, Lis A. Managing information on the physical education research field: Bibliometric analysis. Physical Education of Students. 2020;24(4):213-26. https://doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2020.0404
Statistics

Abstract views: 1230 / PDF downloads: 716