Case study of Hispanic students' physical education experiences

Sanogo, Veronika

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/49608 Copy

Description

Title

Case study of Hispanic students' physical education experiences

Author(s)

Sanogo, Veronika

Issue Date

2014-05-30T16:52:14Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

• Castelli, Darla M.
• Woods, Amelia M.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

• Castelli, Darla M.
• Woods, Amelia M.

Committee Member(s)

• Graber, Kim C.
• Stodolska, Monika

Department of Study

Kinesiology & Community Health

Discipline

Kinesiology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Hispanic children
• Physical Education
• culturally relevant pedagogy
• teacher cultural competence

Abstract

Abstract Hispanic children and youth have higher rates of obesity and are less physically active than their Caucasian peers. Although there is an evident need to promote physically active lifestyle among this population and school physical education has been identified as one of the venues to do so, little is known about Hispanic students’ experiences in this context. Utilizing Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986) and Critical Race Theory in Education (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995) as a grounding framework, this investigation sought to explore the experiences of Hispanic students regarding the cultural competence of their PE teacher and the school environment. After obtaining IRB approval, adult participant consents and student participants and their parents consent, direct observations of fourth and fifth grade physical education classes were conducted in one Midwestern intermediate level school, documenting teacher and student behaviors and interactions. Student physical activity data were collected using accelerometry. Hispanic children participated in a focus group and an opinionnaire and filled out an acculturation survey. The PE teacher and principal were interviewed individually and filled out surveys. Interview transcripts, observation notes and surveys were analyzed inductively. Triangulation, prolonged engagement, persistent observation, peer debriefing, and negative case searches were employed. Quantitative physical activity data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results indicate that experiences of Hispanic students in PE are unique and need to be considered in provision of quality programming. Further it was found that PE teachers traditionally considered highly effective may not be culturally competent in the delivery of quality instruction to ethnically diverse learners in today’s schools. Further research that explores effective teaching in physical education of Hispanic children especially girls is warranted.

Graduation Semester

2014-05

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/49608

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2014 Veronika Sanogo

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