Does grouping by perceived ability sustain student attitude towards physical education?

Abstract

Literature relating to ability grouping of students is extensive, yet little empirical evidence exists that could provide a greater understanding of the effects of grouping on students specifically engaged in Physical Education (PE) lessons. This study investigated the effect on student attitudes towards PE after being grouped into classes based upon their perceived ability. Following the determination of perceived ability; 67 high school students were placed into one of three PE class groups for a period of six weeks instruction. Following this intervention, semi-structured interviews were conducted, which sought to determine whether any change in attitude could be attributed to the grouping arrangements. A number of participants described a change in attitude, however, other factors that were not given as much emphasis in the research design yielded more descriptive and stronger responses from the participants. As a result of further analysis of the data, there emerged a range of implications for PE teachers regarding ability grouping, as well as recommendations and considerations for future research in PE.