THE EFFECT OF GENDER-GROUPED PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES, AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOMATOTYPE, PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPE, AND TEACHING METHOD ON STUDENT FITNESS SCORES

This study investigated the effect of mandated coeducational physical education (Title IX) on physical fitness scores and examined the interaction between somatotype, psychological type, and teaching method on the change of overall physical fitness levels. A ten-week study, inclusive of testing, was undertaken utilizing 131 ninth grade female students from one large secondary school in the San Diego Unified School District.;The following conclusions were established from an analysis of the data: (1) The physical fitness composite scores of girls did not change as a result of coeducational physical education. (2) A structured teaching method did not have any more effect on physical fitness scores than did the non-structured method of teaching. (3) The somatotype of girls had no effect on the physical fitness scores whether they were in a coed or non-coed physical education class. (4) The psychological type of girls had no effect on the physical fitness scores whether they were in a coed or non-coed physical education class. (5) There was no somatotype combined with any psychological type that showed a significant change in physical fitness scores. (6) Girls in the coed physical education setting which received the structured method of teaching did not perform differently than did the girls in the non-coed physical education setting which received the same teaching method.;In analyzing the seven physical fitness tests separately, the related analyses showed significant differences between the coed and non-coed classes in the following tests: (1) The coed group completed significantly fewer sit-ups than did the non-coed group; (2) The coed group ran significantly faster than the non-coed group; (3) The coed group completed significantly fewer side-steps than did the non-coed group.;To determine the effect of the treatment, the California Physical Performance Test was administered as a pretest and posttest to both the control group and the experimental group, with appropriate statistical analysis techniques employed.