Abstract
This study examined learners’ levels of interest and motivation in physical activity (PA) among selected public junior high schools in one cluster of a division in the National Capital Region during School Year 2021–2022. A descriptive research design was employed, involving 218 Grade 7–10 learners selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS through frequency count, percentage, mean, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation to determine the relationships between variables. Results showed that most respondents were female, belonged to higher-income families, and had parents with higher educational attainment. Learners demonstrated a high level of interest in both indoor and outdoor physical activities. Similarly, motivation in PA, both intrinsic and extrinsic, was found to be high across sex, income level, and parents’ educational attainment. Using Spearman’s rank-order correlation, a significant positive relationship was found between learners’ level of motivation and their level of interest in physical activities, indicating that higher motivation corresponds to greater interest in participation. When grouped by profile, female learners showed higher interest in indoor activities compared to males, while both sexes expressed high interest in outdoor activities. Interest and motivation levels remained consistently high regardless of income and parents’ educational attainment. Based on the findings, a contextualized after-school sports program was developed to enhance learners’ sustained participation in physical activities.
Keywords: Learning challenges, learners’ interest, learners’ motivation, physical activity engagement