Motivating Girls Through Participation in a Single Gender Physical Education Class


Book Description

My research study and following paper resulted from the declining level of participation I witnessed in eighth grade girls. When Title IX passed in 1972 it gave girls the opportunity to participate equally with males. I have benefited from Title IX my whole life and it is difficult for me to understand why some girls lack motivation and are uninterested in physical education class. My review of the literature provides evidence that adolescent girls who are physically active have higher self-esteem, assertiveness, pride, and confidence. Single-gender grouping can affect a student's level of participation in physical education. The literature also suggests that it is often the teacher's behavior that creates equity in the classroom regardless of gender. Title IX was mandated to create a more equitable learning environment for students. As Title IX is investigated, it is evident that co-ed classes may not provide an equal opportunity for all students. The purpose of this study is to see if the creation of a six-week girls-only physical education class would increase participation and motivation. This study will provide participants with opportunities to increase their activity level. The benefits are that the student may discover a new appreciation for physical education, fitness and lifetime sport. The results show that the girls involved in the study became more comfortable in physical education class. Through post survey, journaling and a group discussion it was evident that students were more involved in the class. Their participation increased and they unanimously decided to be involved in an all-girl class in the future.




Girls, Gender and Physical Education


Book Description

In this powerfully argued and progressive study, Kimberly Oliver and David Kirk call for a radical reconstruction of the teaching of physical education for girls. Despite forty years of theorization and practical intervention, girls are still disengaging from physical education, dropping out of physical activity, and suffering negative consequences in terms of their health and well-being as a result. This book challenges the conventional narrative that girls are somehow to blame for this disengagement, and instead identifies important new ways of working with girls, developing a new pedagogical model for ‘girl-friendly’ physical education. The book locates our understanding of the experiences of girls in physical education in the broader context of young people’s multifaceted engagements with popular physical culture. Adopting an activist perspective, it outlines a programme of action informed by principled pragmatism and based on four critical elements: student-centred pedagogy; critical study of embodiment; inquiry-based physical education centred-in-action, and listening and responding to girls over time. It explores the implications of this new thinking for teaching, research, PETE and policy, and outlines a future agenda for work in this area. Offering a profound theoretical critique of contemporary research and practice, as well as a new programme of action, Girls, Gender and Physical Education is essential reading for all researchers, advanced students and practitioners with an interest in the issues of gender, equity and inclusion in physical education.




It's a Girl Thing


Book Description




Shaping Up to Womanhood


Book Description

Opening with an account of feminist theoretical perspectives and applying this work to girls' physical education, this text traces the foundations and traditions of girls' PE, identifying ideologies of physical ability/capacity, motherhood/domesticity, and sexuality that inform PE today.




"Because I'm a Girl"


Book Description

"The historical marginalization of females in sport and physical activity has led to the creation of physical education programs that maintain these gender ideologies. Research has shown a steep decline in physical activity participation during adolescence, especially amongst girls. Single-sex physical education programs have been documented as spaces that provide females with better learning opportunities. Currently, there is a gap in the literature concerning how females’ relationship with physical activity is shaped in a female single-sex and female-taught physical education environment. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how three female high school students experience a single-sex female physical education program and how this program shapes females’ relationship with physical activity. More specifically, the author explored whether these programs offer females new ways to shape their identities and perceptions around physical activity and physical education. Methodologically, narrative inquiry was used with three female students in the eleventh grade enrolled in an all-female and female-taught physical education program to engage in an in-depth study of how the participants experienced this type of program. Narratively inquiring into the lives of three girls allowed the author to illustrate the rich and complex lives of each girl as they relate to physical education and more broadly sport and physical activity. The author found that there are no specific answers in how to better engage girls in physical education but that it depends on the girl. Each girl comes to physical education programs with diverse and complex stories to live by. This study seeks to encourage others to stop and think more deeply about girls in physical education. For physical educators and curriculum developers who are invested in improving the quality of physical education experienced by adolescent girls, this study offers insights on how to construct healthier, more productive practices for female students and teachers"--







Models-based Practice in Physical Education


Book Description

This book offers a comprehensive synthesis of over 40 years of research on models in physical education to suggest Models-based Practice (MbP) as an innovative future approach to physical education. It lays out the ideal conditions for MbP to flourish by situating pedagogical models at the core of physical education programs and allowing space for local agency and the co-construction of practice. Starting from the premise that true MbP does not yet exist, the book makes a case for the term "pedagogical model" over alternatives such as curriculum model and instructional model, and explains how learners’ cognitive, social, affective and psychomotor needs should be organised in ways that are distinctive and unique to each model. It examines the core principles underpinning the pedagogical models that make up MbP, including pedagogical models as organising centres for program design and as design specifications for developing local programs. The book also explores how a common structure can be applied to analyse pedagogical models at macro, meso and micro levels of discourse. Having created a language through which to talk about pedagogical models and MbP, the book concludes by identifying the conditions - some existing and some aspirational - under which MbP can prosper in reforming physical education. An essential read for academics, doctoral and post-graduate students, and pre-service and in-service teachers, Models-based Practice in Physical Education is a vital point of reference for anyone who is interested in pedagogical models and wants to embrace this potential future of physical education.




Flipped Learning in Physical Education


Book Description

This is the first book to introduce flipped learning in the context of physical education. It is a timely exploration of pedagogical approaches that draw on digital technologies that can allow learning online and at a distance to support important learning time for physical activity. The book discusses the role of online and digital technology in education, and physical education more specifically, and examines the key features that define flipped learning, its boundaries, and its format. Drawing on modern learning theories, the book explains why educators and practitioners may choose to use flipped learning and how the approach can improve physical activity opportunities. It also considers the challenges and the guiding principles involved in implementing flipped learning in different countries, cultures, and contexts. Full of practical guidance, and drawing on cutting-edge research, this book is invaluable reading for all students, researchers, pre-service and in-service teachers, and coaches working in physical education or youth sport.




Handbook of Physical Education


Book Description

`This is simply the physical education book of its time. The editors must be congratulated on bringing together so many quality authors from so many different parts of the world. As a handbook, it represents how far the study of physical education has moved forward in recent times. What we have is a clear portrayal of physical education at the start of the 21st century′ - Mike Jess, University of Edinburgh `This Handbook is a "must read" for all physical educators who are serious about understanding their subject and developing their practices. The list of authors involved reads like a "who′s who"′ of physical education at a global level - the editors are to be commended on bringing together such collective expertise - this is a key strength of the book. The Handbook successfully expresses a view of knowledge about physical education pedagogy which embraces different research traditions and emerging areas of interest across the global scholarly community′ - Jo Harris, Loughborough University `This comprehensive and eclectic exploration into the field of physical education draws on the vast expertise of its renowned international contributors with astounding results. The Handbook of Physical Education serves to firmly reinstate physical education to its position as the core discipline of sport and exercise science. The Handbook is destined to become an indispensable academic resource for scholars, students and enthusiasts of physical education for years to come′ - Pilvikki Heikinaro-Johansson, University of Jyväskylä What is the current condition of the field of physical education? How has it adapted to the rise of kinesiology, sport and exercise science and human movement studies over the last thirty years? This Handbook provides an authoritative critical overview of the field and identifies future challenges and directions. The Handbook is divided in to six parts: - Perspectives and Paradigms in Physical Education Pedagogy Research; - Cross-disciplinary Contributions to Research on Physical Education; - Learners and Learning in Physical Education; - Teachers, Teaching and Teacher Education in Physical Education; - Physical Education Curriculum; - Difference and Diversity in Physical Education. This benchmark work is essential reading for educators and students in the field of physical education.




Gender and Physical Education


Book Description

The book challenges our understandings of gender, equity and identity in PE, establishing a conceptual and historical foundation for the issue, as well as presenting a wealth of original research material.