Research Teaching and Learning 2 Assignment 2

Literature Review

Why are females reluctant/hesitant to participate in physical activity and male

dominating sports?

In secondary school (SS) environments, Physical Education (PE) and Physical Activity (PA)

encompass an array of perceived health related benefits for adolescent students. Benefits

include an increase in healthy human behaviours enhancing cognitive, physical, mental,

social and emotional wellbeing (Jenkinson & Benson, 2010; Gruno, Gibbons, Condie, &

Wilton, 2018). It is widely recognised that female participation in PE within a SS setting is an

ongoing problem, with little progress being made to support the inclusion of female

students (Oliver & Kirk, 2014). PE teachers battle an ongoing problem in the attempt to

create positive experiences for female students within PE settings (Gruno, Gibbons, Condie,

& Wilton, 2018; Murphy, Dionigi, & Litchfield, 2014). The assertions behind female students’

lack participation is a matter that is becoming increasingly questionable and a serious topic

for concern amongst teachers (Munk & Agergaard, 2018). Female students are continuously

presumed to be at the forefront of the issue, evident through the heightened amount of

teacher assumptions. These presumptions willingly blame female students for their

inadequate participation levels without any acknowledgement into the truths behind the

dis-engagement These dominant discourses are progressively being challenged and

deconstructed by PE researchers (Enright & O'Sullivan, 2010). Research has been conducted

in the field in hope for PE teachers to understand the needs of their students and

accommodate to them appropriately.

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Okely et al., (2011), conducted a RCT in partnership with the NSW Department of Education

and Training, to target the inactivity of adolescent girls within a SS setting. A school-based

intervention was carried out to analyse how they can improve participation rates. Using an

action learning model, 24 schools at random were contextually matched and were

implemented the intervention or control over an 18-month period. The school staff worked

on devising a program which based school sport on the student’s individual needs and

interests. They conducted the study through informal interviews and observations involving

PE and non-PE staff, both male and female year 8 students, and a tight focus group of year 8

females. Data was collected, and responses were grouped into main themes. Barriers

included the lack of resources, male domination, perceived lack of skills and confidence in

traditional PE and other sports. Other presented themes were lack of female choice in the

sport types, lack of resources and lack of sporting experience presented in non-pe staff who

conducted school sport. Suggestions for improvement included implementation of non-

traditional sports e.g. dance, yoga and self-defence, to participate in sport with their friends,

more comfortable and modernised sport uniforms, and greater cooperation from their male

counterparts. The intervention had unsuccessful results with no justified improvements

seen between the control and intervention groups. It was interesting to note that this study

was endorsed by the NSW Department of Education and Training and no improvements

during intervention were accounted for. Factors that may have contributed to the validity of

the study could be that the schools were contextually matched. Discrepancies in the results

have the potential to be skewed, as no two schools are the same, despite empirical

evidence. This notion leads to defective understandings of individual school contexts

including school demographics, socioeconomic status, teacher experience and student

capabilities.
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Enright and O’Sullivan (2010) conducted an action research project within a single SS in

Ireland. The study involved female students aged between 15-18 years old and participants

partook two individual and two group interviews. The researchers worked collectively with

the students through curriculum negotiation to understand the barriers of PE and PA to

transform their involvement. The intervention looked at supporting the students to

overcome these barriers via ‘girl-friendly’ curricular initiatives created through teacher-led

intervention strategies. Barriers were identified as lack of choice in sporting activities,

uniform expectations and negative past experiences, the study conveying similar themes to

the literature of Okely et al., (2011). The females were able to choose their sporting

activities opting for boxercise and a gym workout routine. Additionally, the students had

choice in the music played within the lesson, what they could wear, focus, structure and

delivery of the lesson and assessment of learning. By involving the students in the decision-

making process, the study demonstrated the girls taking ownership of their learning in a

positive manner. The findings resulted in heightened engagement and participation through

the validation of their interests and their past experiences. Considerations when reviewing

this study include, the representation of student insights are only through a single school

paradigm. The study may portray inaccurate findings as results derive from European

female students and may been seen as non-transferable into an Australian setting. It is

important to consider contextual and cultural factors between countries that may

potentially influence student responses and favourable outcomes.

Munk & Agergaard (2018) concur with findings from Enright & O’Sullivan (2010) through

their study acknowledging that students lack voice in PE, leading to non-participation. Munk

& Agergaard examine how student voice is essential to empower and support student

learning. Through student voice students are given the responsibility to become active
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learners in PE. The study also highlights disengagement in PE stemming from peer groups

and social conformity, where students’ social reputations may be tarnished based on their

participation in PE.

Furthermore, El-Sheriff (2014) supports the above notions by highlighting the importance of

student-centred dynamics in PE. The study states many teachers “miss the mark” in catering

for student interests and needs based off assumptions (p.,9). Student choice allows students

who do not like a particular sport to engage in another sport which they feel more

comfortable in participating. This consideration is overlooked by teachers having their own

interests or previous year groups interests in mind but failing to neglect their present

students’ individual interests. A study by Jenkinson and Benson (2010), correspond with the

notion of teacher related barriers contributing to lack of student participation in PE

examining both male and females. Teacher-related barriers included teachers presenting

little motivation and enthusiasm for teaching, limited interest in the students, poor planning

and gender stereotyping sporting activities. All teacher-related barriers were analysed and

documented through the perspectives of female and male students within metropolitan,

rural and remote schools within Australia, accounting for diverse contexts and demographic

locations.

From a differing perspective, a case study by Murphy, Dionigi, & Litchfield (2014) focused

on, the perceptions and personal experiences of five PE teachers in relation to the lack of

female engagement and participation in PE. The one male, and four female teachers taught

at a co-educational Catholic school located in regional Australia. The results were coded into

themes which were; peer groups including peer pressure, peer expectations and peer

judgement, all presented similar findings to the literature by Enright and O’Sullivan, 2010

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and Munk & Agergaard, 2018. Additional themes included embarrassment, self-

consciousness stemming from male presence, the competitive nature of male domination,

body image, self-esteem issues, lack of female role models and parental support. Although

the study examines teacher perspectives based off their own personal experiences in

teaching, the study still presents several limitations within the research. Firstly, the uneven

allocation of teacher genders within the study causes concern for bias data. The female

teacher perceptions are evidently dominated with only one male PE teacher taking part.

Additionally, the single research study is conducted at a Catholic school. Catholic policies,

procedures, expectations and rules differ immensely when compared to the Public

Education System. Therefore, findings may be impacted and influenced by student

socioeconomic status and external socio-cultural factors. Further, results cannot be

generalised to the entire PE teacher population and are limited to reflecting the

perspectives of only five teachers from one type of geographic location- regional. Finally,

the perceptions of teachers are based off presumptions from subjective experiences in

teaching regional students only. It was noteworthy to take into account, that the teachers

neglected any personal responsibility potentially relating to the reasoning behind lack of

female participation.

Similarly, Lamb (2014) conducted a study which supported this gap in research through the

blame of external factors. Lamb looked at how parental support was a major concern for

inactive participation in PE. Lamb examined how students’ parents do not value PE as a

legitimate subject within the curriculum, nor value the importance and benefits associated

with PE. Teachers viewed parental support as a huge factor limiting participation through

excuse notes to exempt their involvement.

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Contrastingly, Scraton (2001) conducted research through an ongoing qualitative study. The

study collated findings from forty 15-year-old students across four case study schools.

Compared to the literature above, the responses of students within this particular study

offered new insights into the reasoning behind the lack of interest and engagement in PE

particularly focussing on the PE teacher themselves. Students expressed the generation gap

between themselves and their PE teachers which resulted in outdated learning activities.

The activities were viewed as boring in nature and deemed irrelevant, with unclear

rationales regarding purpose. The participants also made mention that positive student

teacher relationships were imperative for increased PE involvement. Moreover, female

students referred to male presence as a huge contributing factor for reluctancy of

participation for the following reasons. Female students did not feel comfortable wearing

the sports uniform in front of their male peers who often gazed and gawked in their

direction and are threatened by their macho behaviours in fear of being physically hurt.

Majority of female students opted for same-sex PE lessons for optimal enjoyment and

increased participation further concurring with the above study by Murphy, Dionigi, &

Litchfield (2014). Additionally, findings concurred with with Okely et al., (2011) with the

participants also making mention to lack of sporting choice and lack of resources within the

school environment.

Similar themes were presented in a mixed method study, by Hyndman, Telford, Funch &

Benson (2012) in Victoria’s west, Australia. The study particularly focussing on PA during

classroom breaks such as at recess and lunch time. Through focus group discussions and

map drawings, several common themes were identified. Themes included the lack of

participation in female students stemmed from the need for more resources, equipment,

and safe playing spaces equipped to cater for student needs. A student mentioned that
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male presence impacted participation by providing an example e.g. when footballs were

always brought onto their shared play space by older students in the above grades

discouraging her and her friends from engaging in PA during those times.

Although literature draws from many common and overarching themes, there is still a need

for further research to be conducted as to why female students are reluctant to participate

in PE and PA within their school setting. Additional research is further required into the

perceptions of male peers surrounding lack of female participation, a need for a larger

abundance of male PE teacher viewpoints, and detailed research into the reasoning behind

lack of participation in male dominating sports more specifically.

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 References

El-Sherif, J. L. (2014). Student Voice: Student Choice and Participation in Physical Education.

Strategies, 27(5), 8-11. doi:10.1080/08924562.2014.938875

Enright, E., & O'Sullivan, M. (2010). ‘Can I do it in my pyjamas?’ Negotiating a physical

education curriculum with teenage girls. European Physical Education Review, 16(3),

203-222. doi:10.1177/1356336x10382967

Gruno, J., Gibbons, S. L., Condie, R., & Wilton, D. (2018). Girls in Action: Fostering

Relatedness in and beyond Physical and Health Education. Strategies, 31(4), 19-25.

doi:10.1080/08924562.2018.1465872

Hyndman, B., Telford, A., Finch, C., & Benson, A. (2012). Moving Physical Activity Beyond

the School Classroom: A Social-ecological Insight for Teachers of the facilitators and

barriers to students' non-curricular physical activity. Australian Journal of Teacher

Education, 37(2). doi:10.14221/ajte.2012v37n2.2

Jenkinson, K. A., & Benson, A. (2010). Barriers to Providing Physical Education and Physical

Activity in Victorian State Secondary Schools. Australian Journal of Teacher

Education, 35(8). doi:10.14221/ajte.2010v35n8.1

Lamb, P. (2013). Ritual associated with participation in physical education. European

Physical Education Review, 20(1), 120-139. doi:10.1177/1356336x13496005

Munk, M., & Agergaard, S. (2018). Listening to students’ silences – a case study examining

students’ participation and non-participation in physical education. Physical

Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23(4), 371-386.

doi:10.1080/17408989.2018.1441393

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Murphy, B., Dionigi, R. A., & Litchfield, C. (2014). Physical education and female

participation: A case study of teachers’ perspectives and strategies. Issues in

Educational Research, 24(3), 241-259.

Okely, A. D., Cotton, W. G., Lubans, D. R., Morgan, P. J., Puglisi, L., Miller, J., … Perry, J.

(2011). A school-based intervention to promote physical activity among adolescent

girls: Rationale, design, and baseline data from the Girls in Sport group randomised

controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 11(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-658

Oliver, K. L., & Kirk, D. (2014). Towards an activist approach to research and advocacy for

girls and physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 21(3), 313-327.

doi:10.1080/17408989.2014.895803

Scraton, A. F. (2001). Stepping into Active Leisure? Young Women's Perceptions of Active

Lifestyles and their Experiences of School Physical Education. Sport, Education and

Society, 6(1), 5-21. doi:10.1080/13573320123574

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Part B: Research Protocol
Consent Form:

Dear Potential Participant:

I am working on a project titled “How does gender influence participation and engagement in
physical activity within secondary schools?” for the class, ‘Researching Teaching and Learning 2,’ at
Western Sydney University. As part of the project, I am collecting information to help inform the design
of a teacher research proposal.

The specific topic being examined is “Why are females reluctant/hesitant to participate in physical
activity and male dominating sports?” through a multiple-choice online survey. The survey aims to
assess the reasoning behind why there is a lack of participation in Physical Education classes and
Physical Activity from female students as opposed to their male counterparts. The Survey will be
anonymous, and responses will be collated confidentially in order for the data to analysed and
interpreted. In order to carry out the research, a consent form will be required for students to
complete upon partaking in the survey. The purpose of the consent form is so we as researches can
utilise student data within our work for the completion of the research task.
By participating in this survey, I acknowledge that:

 I have read or have had someone read to me, the project information and have been given the
opportunity to discuss the information and my involvement in the project with the researcher/s.
 The procedures required for the project and the time involved have been explained to me, and
any questions I have about the project have been answered to my satisfaction.
 I consent to the researchers using my responses and data within their research project.
 I understand that my involvement is confidential and that the information gained during this
data collection experience will only be reported within the confines of the ‘Researching Teaching
and Learning 2’ unit, and that all personal details will be de-identified from the data.
 I understand that I can withdraw from the project at any time, without affecting my relationship
with the researcher/s, now or in the future.

By signing below, I acknowledge that I am 18 years of age or older, or I am a full-time university student
who is 17 years old.

Signed: __________________________________

Name: __________________________________

Date: __________________________________

By signing below, I acknowledge that I am the legal guardian of a person who is 16 or 17 years old, and
provide my consent for the person’s participation.

Signed: __________________________________

Name: __________________________________

Date: __________________________________
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Survey Draft: Survey Monkey

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 Part B: Data Collection Protocol Explanation

The data collection protocol for the survey analysis will include the data from both female

and male students from years 7-10 who participate in PDHPE and more specifically the

practical elements of PE. Year 11 and 12 are excluded from the survey due to the

elimination of practical elements and elective choices. The purpose of the research is to

understand why female students are reluctant to participate in practical PE classes as well as

male dominating sports within their PE environments. The survey particularly focusses on

the perspectives of the students themselves and does not include teacher perceptions or

effectiveness of interventions. Both genders will be able to partake in the survey in order for

data to refrain from gender bias.

Upon entering a classroom, I will introduce myself and provide the students with important

background knowledge about the action research project that is being conducted. Through

the context of a class discussion, I will inform the students that if they are willing to

participate in the survey, to approach me at their leisure to seek further details.

Participation in the survey will be up to the discretion of the individual. The students will be

provided with a consent form in which the students will gain knowledge about the purpose

of the research and important information about their specific involvement within the

study. The students will need to read through the consent form carefully and sign it at the

bottom of the page. Students will need to take the consent form home and make contact

with their parents and/or caregivers to additionally sign the consent form. This ensures that

parents are aware of their child’s involvement in the study and they grant their permission

for their child to partake in the survey.

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Owen (2006) literature discusses how the participant must come first and be protected at

any given time throughout the study. Following the consent form, the students will be

advised that responses are anonymous, and they may wish to withdraw from the study at

any time without any negative consequences (Doyle & Buckley, 2013). Further, Owen (2006)

discusses that having consent and maintaining confidentiality always is critical when

conducting action research. The students will be instructed to access the survey via an

electronic device, through students being provided with a link via SurveyMonkey for data

collection. The students may partake in the survey during class time or during a designated

time period which will be allocated. The survey will take no longer than 5-10 minutes to

complete the questions depending on students’ length and detail of responses.

Through 10 questions the survey will allow myself as a researcher to gain more insight into

the reasoning behind female lack of participation in PE. The survey accounts for responses

that relate personally to the individual and further allows for students to comment on

observations they have made in their PE class in relation to their peers.

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 References

Doyle, E., & Buckley, P. (2013). Research ethics in teaching and learning. Innovations in

Education and Teaching International, 51(2), 153-163.

doi:10.1080/14703297.2013.774137

Owen, M. (2006). Conflict and Convergence: The Ethics Review of Action Research. Journal

of Academic Ethics, 4(1-4), 61-75. doi:10.1007/s10805-006-9021-5

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