Female students' perceptions about gender-role stereotypes and their influence on attitude toward physical education.(Report)

Abstract

Why girls 'participation in physical education (PE) dramatically changes once girls reach middle school has been of interest to many researchers. Studying how middle school girls perceive things at this age helps ensure a greater understanding of how to better meet girls' needs. The purpose of this study was to determine how middle school girls perceive their PE teachers' gender-role expectations and how these perceptions affect the girls' participation in and attitudes toward physical education. Qualitative data collection methods were utilized for the study, including observations and formal and informal interviews. This study conducted in-depth interviews with twenty 7th- and 8th-grade girls in a midsize suburban middle school. The girls were observed twice during their 45=minute PE class along with their PE teachers, who were informally interviewed directly after each observation. To develop themes and commonalities, the data from the interviews and observation field notes were analyzed.

The themes that emerged from the participants 'responses and the observations are that (a) the teachers 'primary expectations for girls and boys were to increase effort and participation in PE, (b) girls hold gender-role stereotypes, and (c) a competitive atmosphere and peers' behavior influence girls' participation in and attitude toward physical education. Furthermore, the girls participating in the study perceived themselves as athletically equal to their male peers and called themselves "athletic" and "competitive." However, the primary factors impacting the girls' participation in and attitude toward PE and competitive sports were the girls 'perceptions of what constitutes a safe environment and what constitutes a safe sport.

Key Words: Gender-role stereotypes, teachers' expectations, female students' perceptions.

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Many Americans believe that gender bias is a notion of the past and that gender bias had existed only against girls (Sadker & Zittleman, 2005; Zittleman, 2006). Those holding such beliefs argue that girls have equal opportunities to achieve, just like anyone else. In addition, many believe that the pre-Title IX barriers to girls' participation in physical education and sports have been removed and that what is perceived as inequality is really only a matter of girls' choice, motivation, and enthusiasm (Kirk, 2003).

Clearly, some real progress has been made. Title IX gave girls the right to equal educational opportunities, including the right to participate equally in physical education and sports. According to the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (2002), 40% of athletes were girls. Gurian and Stevens, (2005) and Sommers, (2000) have advanced the notion that girls "rule" in schools. Similar trends in girls' achievements have been reported in England (Warrington & Younger, 2000) and Australia (Yates, 1997). Most girls, however, still feel alienated from "male" subjects. For the most part, career aspirations are still highly gendered and girls still find themselves in classroom environments where boys dominate attention and monopolize teachers' time (Warrington & Younger, 2000).