In order to undertake my research I conducted a survey of 20 girls in year 11 with birth dates in 1988 or 1989. The girls were selected at random with the only criteria been they were female. After much consideration I decided on a 20-question survey. The main reason was if the survey were to long it would be to time consuming to complete. The survey contained sixteen strictly quantitative data questions and four qualitative questions. This was done to ensure that participants had the opportunity to explain their answers and also to elaborate. Questions were firstly structured to get the basic information about the responders like name, year of birth, sports played and the hours spent playing and training. The questions then diverged into more deep questions involving what influenced their choices and restrictions on their choices. Finally the survey allowed responders the opportunity to add any other recommendations, advice, thoughts or ideas relating to the topic.
The problems involving my methodology included aspects such as responder involvement. In other words how seriously the girls took the survey. Hopefully it will be treated with importance and show answers involving this. The qualitative questions also posed a problem they were possibly to time consuming and also responders may not feel comfortable giving out such personal information to a fellow student. Time was also another constraint but this was mostly overcome by the minimal size of the survey. Another constraint was cost; this was part of the reason along with availability of responders and time, which influenced the size and amount of girls surveyed. These obstacles were overcome or worked around and I hope that I have chosen the best methodology.
The only way to find out for sure is to experiment. I have chosen to do to case studies and chosen two girls from Year 11 at Cumberland High School. One participates regularly in sport and physical activity the other does not. The purpose of these case studies was to juxtapose the two primary types of Year 11 girls and to investigate why they made the choices they have. Also the case studies provide qualitative data to support my research.
Details: Tanya is example of a teenage girl in which sport and other kinds of physical activity are an integral part of her daily and weekly life. She values fitness highly and enjoys competitive sport. She participates often in school sport, been apart of grade and knock out teams and also been involved in the athletics and cross-country carnivals. Tanya last has made the Wauchope team since she was in year 8 in up to 7 sports. She also chose PD/H/PE this year as a subject. Tanya’s main sport is Netball but she also enjoys basketball and athletics. She trains for netball two to three times a week and has now achieved a position in the rep. team.
Tanya said she “enjoys the competition of sport and likes to keep fit and have fun and social opportunities”. Tanya also plays in a weekly touch competition during the winter to keep herself fit for netball. She trains for this once a week and plays for an hour or two every Wednesday. She also says her parents are supportive of her choices and encourage her. Tanya achieves good marks at school, which show that she can maintain both a school and sporting life. She values sport and physical fitness highly and this is demonstrated by the time she puts into it.
Details: Megan is an example of a teenage girl, which does not value sport and/or physical activity highly. She stated that she doesn’t play sport except for small amounts at school and also walks home from school, which takes about fifteen minutes. She says that she doesn’t play sport because she doesn’t enjoy. Megan is heavily involved in her local church. She helps out with the pre-school-year two children’s group, which runs between 3-4:15pm on a Friday. She also attends a youth group on Friday night between 8-9:45pm. She attends church on Sunday between 7-8:30pm and also bible study on Wednesday nights between 4-6pm. Megan lists her interest as been music, which she regularly listens to and also plays the saxophone, clarinet and piano. She attends saxophone lessons on Thursday between 6:30-7pm. She is a member of the school band. She also stated she watches two hours of television per night. Megan achieves average school marks.