Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine and compare student attitudes towards coeducational physical education at a selected metropolitan government secondary school. The study examined differences in attitudes between 66 Year 10 girls and 51 Year 10 boys and ascertained whether this difference was significant. A sub-purpose of the study was to determine physical education teachers\u27 perceptions of student attitudes toward coeducational physical education. This enabled a comparison to be made between the attitudes students expressed and the attitudes teachers perceived students to have. The investigation utilised a 16 item attitudinal questionnaire to establish whether students\u27 attitudes were positive or negative, and to determine whether the attitudes were correlated to the sex of the individual. Following the questionnaire an interview with students was conducted, which enabled determination of student attitudes and revealed possible reasons why these attitudes were held. Teachers\u27 perceptions of student attitudes toward coeducational physical education were evaluated through interviews conducted with staff members. As hypothesised the students were found to have positive attitudes towards coeducation a 1 physical education. The male students had more favourable attitudes than the female students, however, the difference was not statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The physical education teachers believed the students had positive attitudes towards coeducational physical education
