Date

7-2019

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)

Chair

Judy Sandlin

Keywords

Aerobic Capacity, FITNESSGRAM, Obesity, Physical Activity

Disciplines

Education | Health and Physical Education

Abstract

Over the last 30 years, physical activity among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 has continued to decline, and the risk of morbidity associated with sedentary living has increased (CDC, 2017). Furthermore, research has identified females as being at greater risk of morbidity because they are opting out of physical activity at twice the rate of boys and not getting the recommended 60 minutes a day of physical activity (NPAP, 2016). Many girls are avoiding physical education classes, where the concepts of health-related fitness, the development of skills necessary to participate in a variety of physical activities, and a love for physical fitness are formed. This research examined attitudes toward physical activity of females in a single-gender versus a mixed-gender physical education (PE) class. The purpose of this static group comparison examination was to determine if a statistically significant difference existed in the attitudes toward physical activity between girls taking a ninth-grade, single-gender PE course and girls taking a ninth-grade coed PE course. The participants for this investigation comprised females between the ages of 13 and 18 taking physical education during the 2018-2019 school year. Three items from a physical activity attitude scale related to gender, competence, and usefulness were used to determine attitudes toward physical activity. Performance in aerobic capacity was also evaluated between the groups using the school district’s adopted standardized physical education assessment, FITNESSGRAM® to ascertain the level of cardiovascular fitness of girls taking a single-gender physical education class and girls taking a mixed-gender physical education class.

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