Conference Agenda

To respect the educational character of Physical Education (PE), it is necessary for students to assimilate theoretical content that supports the development of competencies related to health, motor skills, and an active lifestyle. This paper aimed to conduct a validation and standardization process of an assessment instrument designed to measure the level of theoretical knowledge among 6th-grade students in Romania, followed by an evaluation of students’ knowledge at this educational level. The study employed a standardized testing procedure, and participant selection was conducted using probabilistic sampling to ensure national representativeness (n=2352).

The validation and standardization process confirmed the instrument’s psychometric soundness, supporting its validity and demonstrating its feasibility for large-scale educational assessment. Using this validated instrument, the findings indicate that the average level of theoretical knowledge associated with PE reached the minimum passing threshold (grade 5 out of 10). Girls demonstrated slightly higher levels of theoretical knowledge compared to boys (t(2350)=3.32, p<.001, d=0.14), suggesting modest gender-related differences.

In conclusion, physically educated adults cannot be expected without the systematic development of theoretical knowledge during schooling. The validated and feasible instrument developed in this study provides a practical tool for monitoring students’ cognitive outcomes in PE and informing curriculum evaluation. Strengthening the theoretical dimension of PE may enhance awareness of physical activity benefits and support sustained engagement in active lifestyles. Moreover, the proposed methodological framework offers a transferable model adaptable to other educational systems.