Halpern, Samantha

Deconstructing Student Engagement in Physical Education: An Investigation into Coeducational and Single Sex Health and Physical Education

Key Words: Physical Education, middle school, participation

Abstract

The interaction of male and female students is an area of complex nature. In the physical education setting this interaction is of great interest as together, males and females often do not participate as successfully as they do when separated. As physical health is becoming a more serious concern with youth today it becomes necessary that we start to look at how we can successfully engage students in physical education and instil the desire to pursue a healthy lifestyle in their futures. This study attempts to discover how physical education is modified/adapted for single-sex classes. A focus is given to isolating what units are incorporated or excluded at the high school level when specifically geared towards a specific gender, as well as to how students respond when the other gender is removed from the physical education setting. The study also addresses teachers’ views of students’ responses to both single-sex and coeducational settings regarding the extent of student comfort and engagement. Participants were chosen based on their significant experience in the physical education setting and knowledge of coeducational and single sex environments. The preliminary findings suggest that although there are physical benefits from the single sex classes there is also a very important social component of coeducational classes that cannot be ignored.

Acknowledgements

I would like to say a quick thank you to research participants who provided me with a wealth of knowledge and insight in my subject area. I would also like to thank Clive Beck and Tim Fletcher for supervising me throughout this process and continuously supporting me and guiding me in the right direction. Finally to my friends and family, thank you for your support and understanding through this busy time.