EFFECTIVENESS OF PRACTICAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES FOR INDIAN STUDENTS IN A KYRGYZ UNIVERSITY: THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL COMFORT AND ADAPTATION (PRE-POST STUDY)

Abstract

International students’ participation in physical education depends not only on workload, but also on comfort, motivation, adaptation, and communication. Objective. To assess the perceived effectiveness of practical PE classes among first-year Indian students in a Kyrgyz university and identify factors associated with more favorable self-reported changes in physical fitness. Materials and methods. A prospective baseline and final survey was conducted over one semester (18 weeks; two classes weekly). The pre-survey included 220 students and the post-survey 212 students. Results. Only 28.2% reported regular PE experience before university, while 40.0% had rare or no regular experience. After the semester, 27.4% reported improvement, whereas 72.6% reported no improvement or deterioration. Mean post-survey scores were: physical comfort 2.93±1.09, motivation 3.16±1.21, adaptation 3.36±0.94, communication confidence 3.50±0.88, and clarity of instruction 3.39±0.99. More favorable perceived outcomes were significantly associated with higher scores across all five domains (all p<0.001). Conclusions. Adaptation-sensitive PE design is advisable for first-year international students.