Female participation in physical education classes in a selected number of Newfoundland and Labrador high schools

Devereaux, Joseph (1990) Female participation in physical education classes in a selected number of Newfoundland and Labrador high schools. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of why so few females, compared to males, enroled in Physical Education 2100 and/or 3100 in the schools of Newfoundland and Labrador. Six co-educational high schools with a population of at least 400 during the 1989-1990 school year were randomly selected to take part in this study. From each school, sixty students from Levels II and/or III were chosen according to the following criteria: fifty percent males, fifty percent females, 30 participants, and 30 non-participants. This total sample of 339 was administered a questionnaire to ascertain their attitudes, problems, and opinions regarding physical education in their schools. Fourteen individual and small group interviews were also conducted to broaden the perspective offered by the questionnaire. -- Ten research questions were designed to investigate whether any of the themes gleaned from a review of current literature on the topic had a significant bearing on why fewer females than males took physical education. The ten research areas were: social factors, teaching methodology, curriculum content, awareness of benefits, lack of role models, hygiene factors, previous physical education experience, conflicting timetables, and facilities-equipment. -- Analysis of variance for each area showed that social factors, embarrassment, few role models, and hygiene factors were the most significant reasons why females did not take physical education as compared to males. When a multiple regression was applied to the variables of the study, it was illustrated that females perceived that social factors, embarrassment, and lack of role models were the major reasons why they did not take physical education. -- The recommendations derived from the study were: that there be more specialized teacher training to ensure that teachers are taught about the problems pertinent to females i.e. sex stereotyping; that in-service programs be instituted to improve teaching methodology and curriculum content be changed to reflect a recognition of the problems faced by females; that an affirmative action program be developed to attract more female teachers to the field of physical education; that extra money be put into providing more equipment and better facilities; that schools be informed of the difficulty that scheduling causes females who wish to take physical education; and that the problems being experienced by females be given a higher profile, and more credence. It is further suggested that more time and effort be put into finding a solution to reverse the trend of low female participation in physical education at the high school level.

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