The effects of single-sex versus coeducational physical education on american junior high PE students’ physical activity levels and self-competence

• Published in: Biomedical human kinetics Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 170 - 176
• Main Authors: Vargos, Crystal, Williams, Skip M., Henninger, Mary L., Coleman, Margaret M., Burns, Ryan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Sciendo 01-01-2021; De Gruyter Poland
• Subjects: Class environment; Confidence; Exercise; Gender appropriateness; Girls; Heart rate; Heart Rate Monitors; Physical education; Sex; Single sex education; Students; Title IX
• ISSN: 2080-2234; 2080-2234
• DOI: 10.2478/bhk-2021-0021

: To examine single-sex classes versus coeducational classes in 7
grade PE and the effect the setting had on physical activity (PA) levels and self-competence.
: A total of 85 students aged 12–13 years old, enrolled in the 7
grade from one junior high in the Midwestern part of the U.S.A. participated. Classes were randomly assigned as coed or single-sex. The study took place during eight lessons of a basketball unit. Four of the lessons focused on skill and four focused on game play. Average heart rate (HR) levels were recorded through HR monitors. A modified version of the Confidence in Learning Mathematics scale was administered to the students.
: A 2 × 2 Factorial ANOVA was completed to examine the effect of setting and gender on average HR during gameplay lessons, average HR during skill-based lessons, confidence, usefulness, and appropriateness. Results revealed on average, girls had fewer bpm compared to boys during gameplay. Also, girls in the single-sex setting had, on average, higher HR during gameplay compared to girls in coeducational.
: Similarly, to other research, males had higher bpm during game play than females and higher HR’s in the single-sex setting than the coed setting. This suggests that during basketball it might be more ideal for females to participate in a single-sex setting to elicit more activity.