Knowledge of Basic Swimming Movements among Fifth-Grade Students: A Descriptive Survey

Abstract

Objectives: This study described fifth-grade students’ knowledge of basic swimming movements at SD Negeri 166492 Tebing Tinggi and identified the distribution of knowledge levels.

Materials and Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted with all 29 fifth-grade students selected through total sampling. Knowledge was measured using a 28-item multiple-choice test covering swimming strokes, ethics in swimming instruction, and swimming facilities and equipment. Two of the original 30 items were removed during validation, and the retained instrument had a reported reliability coefficient of 0.959. Data were summarized using the mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, frequencies, percentages, and mean-standard-deviation category thresholds.

Results: Scores ranged from 10 to 24, with a mean of 19.72 and a standard deviation of 3.26. No student was classified as very high; 11 students (37.9%) were high, 10 (34.5%) moderate, 7 (24.1%) low, and 1 (3.4%) very low. Although the high category contained the largest number of students, the mean score fell within the moderate interval.

Conclusions: Students’ theoretical knowledge was uneven and, on average, moderate. The relatively large high-knowledge group is encouraging, but 8 of 29 students remained in the low or very-low categories. Schools should strengthen concept-based and safety-oriented instruction, use visual or simulation resources where pool access is limited, and complement written tests with supervised in-water assessment when facilities and safety arrangements permit.