Inaug.-diss.--Halle-Wittenberg. / Lebenslauf. "Alphabetische literaturangaben": p. 59-60.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Temple University, 1997. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-161). Also available online via Digital Dissertations.

<p> The purpose of this study was to compare the athletic participation rate of males and females within the high school of study. Freshmen and senior students were surveyed to gather data on the reasons students chose to participate or not participate in athletics. Focus groups were conducted at a local university to further explore why students participated in athletics and why some of these students discontinued their participation in athletics. Focus groups also explored challenges facing athletes and student perceptions of female participation in athletics. Athletic participation data from the high school of study were also taken into consideration. </p><p> This study also touched on the history of females as they journeyed throughout history from the Theory of Separate Spheres to Title IX. The impact of Title IX on female athletics is also touched upon. Special attention was paid to the struggle female athletes have as they compete in athletics, why athletics are good for all participants, and health risks specific to females. Based on all of the data gathered, recommendations were made to the high school of study, to parents of female athletes, and for future studies to increase female athletic participation. Results of this study will assist administrators as they look for ways to increase female athletic participation within the high school of study.</p>

A cooperation project on school physical education (PE) was established between the Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The project was funded as part of the international cooperation agreement between South Africa and Sweden. The aim of the project was to investigate discrepancies between intended subscription and actual provision for PE/Life Orientation (LO) in Swedish and South African schools. Presented in this paper are results of the pilot study on the comparative research project which focused on PE as a tool for developing health and social skills among Swedish and South African school children. A major objective of the project was to investigate how provision for PE is defined in formal school settings in both countries. To answer the question we constructed a 23-item questionnaire measuring PE provision and children’s attitudes towards the subject in primary and lower secondary schools. A questionnaire was constructed utilizing a) participant observations of lessons in Sweden and South Africa, b) semi-structured interviews with school principals and PE teachers in both countries, and c) analyses of policy documents in each country. The pilot instrument consisted of four batteries of questions: a) Health promotion (8 items), b) Social development (8 items), c) Personal development (10 items), and d) Physical development and movement (6 items). The questionnaire was developed in two almost identical versions and was completed by primary school pupils in South Africa (n =105) and Sweden (n = 42). In order to improve the reliability and the construct validity of the questionnaire we modified the pilot versions of the questionnaire eliminating poorly fit items using various statistical techniques. Pupils’ answers to the questionnaire were analyzed mainly through structural equation modeling techniques (AMOS). This technique facilitates the simultaneous analysis of the robustness of the whole instrument and the test of each battery of questions. The statistical analyses were aimed at designing a questionnaire with very good fit indices for Swedish and South African contexts. Results yielded substantial Cronbach’s α: whole instrument (α=.84); Health promotion (α=60), Social development (α=60), Personal development (α=79), Physical development (α=76), which showed acceptable reliability estimates for the questionnaire subscales.

Students’ perceptions and value orientation could assist curriculum developers to design and implement a Physical Education (PE) curriculum that would address the needs of post-independent South African schools. PE and School Sport (SS) in South Africa demonstrate extremes and inequities. Contrast is visible in all aspects of South African life, but most significant in education. White and urban schools are relatively problem free, whereas black and rural schools have been adversely affected by the past governments’ apartheid and separate development policies. Some schools have well developed facilities, while the majority has next to nothing. PE teachers are qualified in some cases and grossly unqualified in many others. PE programmes in white schools and urban cities offer a wide and balanced variety of activities while in others opportunities are limited to a few movement activities. PE as a school subject has been neglected, misunderstood, seen as being of little importance and regarded as inferior when compared to other subjects in the school curriculum. In order to find out the perceptions of PE and school sport among school children aged 7-15years, we administered the modified Sport in Education (SpinEd) project questionnaire to 923 school children in two provinces and contrasting geographical locations in South Africa. The questionnaire focused on five main domains referring specifically to aspects of children’s perceptions and understanding of PE and SS. The results showed some disparity in the perceptions and understanding of PE and SS among the respondents by gender, age group and geographical location, specifically with regard to feeling about PE and SS, outcomes of PE and SS, comparison of PE and SS with other school subjects and perceived competence in PE and SS. Results are discussed in the light of their implications for provision of quality PE and SS in South African schools.

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E-Learning in Physical Education

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