Researchers find a way to keep young women in PE classes

Give young women a say in what gets their hearts racing, and chances are they'll be more willing to sweat it out in Grade 11 and 12 physical education classes. This is what four UVic researchers found when they teamed up to reverse the trend of fewer young women enrolling in PE when it becomes optional in senior high school.

"If women learn to exercise regularly at a young age and sustain it through their teens, the research often shows they'll be likely to find time to exercise for the rest of their lives," says UVic's Dr. Sandra Gibbons, explaining why the trend concerns researchers. Only 10 per cent of female students in BC take PE in Grades 11 and 12, compared to 20-25 per cent of male students.

Gibbons and fellow physical education professors Drs. Geraldine Van Gyn, Joan Wharf Higgins, and Catherine Gaul joined forces three years ago to explore the reasons for low female enrolment and help teachers change their PE classes to appeal more to females. Says Gibbons, "There's plenty of info on why it happens. We wanted to take it to the next step and help teachers make change."

The first step involved talking to a number of female students from various schools in Victoria. Says Gibbons, "We found out that young women would like to be active; however, they are interested in a variety of physical activities beyond team sports."

In total, eight distinct issues influencing students' decisions to enroll in PE emerged from the analysis of the discussions. These included: more choice and control in determining the physical activities, emphasis on participation/effort rather than skill performance in determining grades, and having PE valued as an important pursuit by school staff and easier to fit into a class schedule.

The researchers used this information as a guide for curriculum change, working with PE teachers at Vic High, Stelly's Secondary and Reynolds Secondary. Teachers developed action plans for their programs and implemented them. The result was an increase in female enrolment.

In a separate study, the researchers looked at the National Population Health Survey for 1996-97, and explored the factors influencing the levels of physical activity for Canadian youth aged 12-24. Young women were found to be less physically active, more concerned about being overweight, more depressed, and to consult mental health professionals more frequently than young men.

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