European Physical Education Review recent issues

Influence of a physical education teacher's disability on middle school pupils' learning and perceptions of teacher competence

Bryant, L. G., Curtner-Smith, M. D. — 2009-09-09

Limited research has investigated the problems encountered by physical education teachers who have disabilities and instruct able-bodied pupils. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a physical education teacher’s disability on middle school pupils’ perceptions of the teacher’s competence and their learning. Participants were 201 7th and 8th grade pupils (age range 12 to 16 years). They were randomly assigned to watch one of two videotaped swimming lessons. These lessons were identical except that in the first lesson the teacher taught from a wheelchair (WCL) while in the second she was able-bodied (ABL). Immediately following the watching of their assigned lesson, pupils completed a questionnaire asking them about their perceptions of the teacher’s competence and an examination over lesson content. Inferential statistical tests revealed that there were no significant differences in the perception and examination scores of those pupils who viewed the WCL and the ABL. These results provide further support for a sociological explanation of how and why pupils of different ages respond to and learn from physical education teachers with a disability.

Teacher-student negotiations and its relation to physical education students' motivational processes: An approach based on self-determination theory

Dupont, J.-P., Carlier, G., Gerard, P., Delens, C. — 2009-09-09

The aim of this study is to test a model of motivation based on self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2002) and which explores the place of ‘teacher—student’ negotiation. Cross-sectional data were gathered from 549 secondary school students (317 male, 232 female) who answered a questionnaire which included measurements of perceived negotiation, of the satisfaction of needs, of motivation, of perceived enjoyment, of the perception of having learned, of the intention to practise a physical sporting activity outside school. Structural equation analysis has shown that the students who perceived integrative negotiation experienced higher levels of autonomy and relatedness. Autonomy and competence determined self-determined motivation, which in turn positively predicted consequences. The results support self-determination theory and support its application in the context of school physical education.

The role of transfer in games teaching: Implications for the development of the sports curriculum

Garcia Lopez, L. M., Contreras Jordan, O. R., Penney, D., Chandler, T. — 2009-09-09

The purpose of this paper is to critically review and evaluate the significance for curriculum planning in PE of studies focused on transfer of tactical knowledge. The conceptual foundation and focus of research that has investigated transfer in learning across games and sports is explored. Selected studies are systematically analysed in relation to the particular dimension of transfer examined and evidence generated to support a case for curriculum planning to be grounded upon transfer. On the basis of findings to date, it is argued that curriculum planning in PE should foreground the principle of transfer. Recommendations are made in relation to further research in this field.

Teaching team invasion games and motivational climate

Gray, S., Sproule, J., Morgan, K. — 2009-09-09

Team invasion games (TIG) make up a large part of the PE curriculum in Scottish schools. It is important, therefore, to understand the environmental conditions that contribute to pupils’ motivation to learn to play TIG. Consequently, this study aimed to identify the teaching behaviours exhibited when teaching TIG using a game-based approach and a skill-focused approach to teach secondary 1 (S1) basketball. Additionally, this study investigated pupils’ and teachers’ thoughts about their experiences during each basketball lesson. We found a change to more mastery behaviours during the game-based lessons and very similar percentages of mastery and ego behaviours during the skill-focused lessons. The game-based teacher discussed the pupils’ performance in terms of game performance and understanding, and the skills-focused teacher discussed the pupils’ ability to execute game skills. The pupils in the game-based class discussed game understanding, teamwork, enjoyment and involvement. The skill-focused class valued skill learning and evaluated their performance based on the successful execution of game skills. The findings from this study suggest that game-focused teaching strategies appear to promote a mastery oriented motivational climate and, therefore, have the potential to increase pupils’ motivation in PE and TIG.

Sport Education for Teachers: Professional Development When Introducing a Novel Curriculum Model

Sinelnikov, O. A. — 2009-09-09

The purpose of this study was to provide a description of an on-site professional development program for Russian teachers as they learned to teach Sport Education. A concurrent objective was to investigate the effectiveness of this professional development opportunity. Participants were two physical education teachers (one with 27 and one with 3 years of experience) who taught separate sixth grade physical education classes in a school in the Central Chernozem Region of Russia. The data sources included the researcher’s log, informal discussions, briefing/debriefing sessions and semi-structured interviews. The following four themes were generated: (a) the need for sample lesson observance in the training phase, (b) teaching-to-model congruency validation, (c) difficulties of ‘letting go of the control’, and (d) cooperative learning. The findings of the study are discussed using the theoretical framework on factors influencing professional development (Birman et al., 2000) and the model of teacher change (Guskey, 1986; 2002).

Sport or school? Dreams and dilemmas for talented young Danish football players

Christensen, M. K., Sorensen, J. K. — 2009-09-09

Today’s young semi-professional football players are expected to continue their education while honing their talents as footballers. This means they must balance the contradictory demands that come from their education establishments and their football clubs. The present study explores how young Danish male football talents experience and describe these different forces in their life space (Lewin, 1951). Data for the study are gathered using a narrative and qualitative approach, including four focus group interviews with 25 footballers aged 15—19, followed by individual qualitative interviews with eight of the footballers. The elite football culture has an almost magnetic attraction for the young footballers in the study. Even if the espoused value (Schein, 1990) of a good set of academic qualifications does not entirely measure up to this, the insistence from the outside world on the importance of completing one’s education is manifest and associated with significant personal concerns, lower examinations results, stress, drop-out and mental breakdown.

Explaining differences in sport participation rates among young adults: Evidence from the South Caucasus

Birchwood, D., Roberts, K., Pollock, G. — 2009-01-09

This paper presents and discusses evidence about the sport careers of representative samples of 31—37 year olds from the capital city and a comparator region in each of the three South Caucasus countries —Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This is one of the few surveys to measure sport participation that allows change over time at the aggregate and individual levels to be distinguished. The evidence suggests that many differences in sport participation rates that are commonly attributed to circumstances and experiences after age 16 (higher education, for example) already exist at age 16, and that family cultures are the source of crucial predispositions to participate which have lasting effects. The evidence, from countries that up to 1991 shared the Soviet education and sport systems, also suggests that ethnic/national cultures that predate communism have outlived communism and are now a major explanation of inter-country differences in rates of sport participation in the South Caucasus. Finally, the evidence indicates that sport facilities do indeed make a difference, but only by enabling those who are predisposed to take part in sport.

Competencies in physical education teaching: Slovenian teachers' views and future perspectives

Kovac, M., Sloan, S., Starc, G. — 2009-01-09

This paper examines Slovenian physical education (PE) teachers' (n = 85) estimations of their own actual and desired professional competencies with the aim of diagnosing the main needs of practising PE teachers and resolving them within a revised Slovenian Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) curricula and through continued professional development programmes. Results show that PE teachers realistically acknowledge their own deficiencies within certain areas of practice, that during their training they are required to develop knowledge that is not directly applicable in PE classes, thus further detracting from the development of more relevant practically orientated knowledge, and that the reorganization of the Slovenian educational system during the last 15 years presented widespread demands that were not accompanied by appropriate professional institutional support. Their relative disinterest in the competencies developed through the subdisciplinary studies indicates that the mode and contents of the subdisciplinary subjects in the present PETE curriculum should be reviewed and refocused on the contents of the revised primary and secondary school curricula.

Pleasure and pain: Experiences of fitness testing

Wrench, A., Garrett, R. — 2009-01-09

The obesity crisis is a hegemonic discourse that has established common-sense understandings that young people are less active and fit than previous generations. Unquestioning acceptance of links between fitness and obesity in turn leads to unproblematic fitness testing of young people. Argument is made that fitness tests motivate and encourage participation in physical activity. Poststructural perspectives as informed by the work of Michel Foucault invite consideration of alternative possibilities around complex social phenomena such as the obesity crisis and pedagogical practices such as fitness testing. This research was informed by concerns about the unproblematic fitness testing of young people and calls for pedagogies of physical education that work to unsettle dominant discourses. The research investigates the experience of fitness testing from the perspective of university students pursuing health and physical education pathways through their degree programmes. Experiences of fitness testing were explored and the meanings made around participation, performances and results were interrogated.

A qualitative investigation into the characteristics and effects of music accompanying exercise

Priest, D.-L., Karageorghis, C. I. — 2009-01-09

The purpose of the present study was to identify the characteristics of music used to accompany physical exercise and investigate the effects of such music using a qualitative approach. This work underpins the further development of a theoretical structure that is still relatively new. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of exercise participants (N = 13), seven males and six females, all with at least two years' experience of exercising to music. An inductive content analysis of the interview data was undertaken and results contrasted with the conceptual model developed by Karageorghis et al. (1999) which describes the effects of musical and cultural factors with reference to psychophysical outcomes. The findings demonstrated the importance of musical (e.g. rhythm, lyrics, bass), contextual (e.g. time of day) and individual factors (e.g. background, personality) in determining both short-term (e.g. mood, imagery) and long-term (e.g. heightened work-rate, endurance) outcomes. The findings point towards a more expansive conceptual framework. In particular, facets of the response to music such as flow state, cognitive responses, rhythm response and anticipation are discussed. Music perceived to be motivating could lead to increases in exercise intensity and endurance during performance of self-regulated tasks. These findings have implications for the use of music in physical education settings.

Manipulation of motivational climate in physical education: Effects of a seven-month intervention

Barkoukis, V., Tsorbatzoudis, H., Grouios, G. — 2009-01-09

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of an intervention programme that manipulated task, authority, recognition, grouping, evaluation and time (TARGET) structures on the cognitive and affective response of students to their physical education (PE) lesson. The sample consisted of 374 high school students (M age = 13.8, S.D. = .73) assigned to either an intervention or a control group. The students completed measures of perceptions of motivational (task- and ego-involving) climate, dispositional achievement goals (task and ego orientation), intrinsic motivation and trait anxiety (cognitive processes, somatic anxiety and worry). The questionnaires were administered at the beginning and at the end of the academic year, that is, within a period of seven months. In between the two measurements, PE teachers taught the intervention group using the TARGET structures. The results of a Multilevel Random Coefficient Modelling indicated that students in the intervention group reported higher levels of teachers' emphasis on learning orientation, students' learning orientation, students' task orientation, enjoyment and perceived competence, and lower levels of worry after the intervention. These findings support the positive influence of TARGET structures on cognitive and affective responses of the students to PE lessons.

`Does knowing stuff like PSHE and citizenship make me a better teacher?': Student teachers in the teacher training figuration

Velija, P., Capel, S., Katene, W., Hayes, S. — 2009-01-09

One of the key elements of figurational sociology is the emphasis on understanding complex networks of interdependencies in which people are involved. The focal point of this paper is the process of initial teacher training (ITT) and the relationships of which student teachers are part during their ITT course. The paper does not look at what student teachers ought to think; rather, it is an exploration of why student teachers may think the way they do. The paper uses data which were collected as part of a larger project funded by a Teacher Training Agency small research grant. Results suggest that student teachers value aspects of their course differently. In particular, student teachers value university practical sessions and school-based experiences over university-based theory sessions, which are considered irrelevant to the actual practice of teaching. Despite attempts by university tutors to engage student teachers in academic discourses about the nature of physical education (PE), student teachers' perceptions of PE did not change during their course. Further, student teachers perceived conflict between the university-based theoretical elements and the school-based elements of the course.

Children's motivational experiences following autonomy-supportive games lessons

Mandigo, J., Holt, N., Anderson, A., Sheppard, J. — 2009-01-09

The objectives of this study were (a) to examine students' motivational experiences arising from their participation in games lessons based on autonomy-supportive strategies; and (b) to examine the interaction between boys' and girls' motivational experiences across different categories of games. A total of 759 students (380 F, 379 M) from 37 classes (grades four to seven) were taught a lesson from one of four game categories (i.e. target, net/wall, batting/fielding, invasion) using autonomy-supportive techniques. Following the lessons children completed various measures to assess their motivational experiences. Significant between-subject differences did emerge for both gender and games category. Girls reported higher levels of optimal challenge, perceived autonomy-support, and enjoyment whereas boys reported higher levels of perceived competence. For the games category, participants reported higher levels of self-determined motivation in net/wall games whereas invasion games received the lowest motivational ratings of the four games categories.

Acknowledgement of reviewers and translators 2008

2009-01-09

Trends in leisure time physical activity among young people in Finland, 1977--2007

Laakso, L., Telama, R., Nupponen, H., Rimpela, A., Pere, L. — 2008-05-13

The decline in physical activity among young people has been discussed in the media during recent decades, although the scientific evidence for this has been scarce. The aim of this study was to investigate trends over 30 years in leisure time physical activity of Finnish boys and girls aged 12, 14, 16 and 18 years from 1977 to 2007. The data were obtained from the Finnish Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey. In the survey nationwide samples have been drawn every second year (number of respondents has varied from 2832 to 8390) since 1977. Leisure time physical activity was measured through questions concerning organized sport and unorganized leisure time physical activity. Participation in organized sport significantly increased from 1977 to 2007 in both genders. Time x gender interaction was significant, indicating that participation had increased more among girls than among boys. In both genders participation in unorganized leisure time physical activity decreased from 1977 to 1985, increasing thereafter until 2007. The increase from 2003 to 2007 was significant in organized sport but not in unorganized leisure time physical activity. It is concluded that there is an upward trend in Finnish adolescents' leisure time physical activity and in organized sport in particular, and that the increase in activity has been greater in girls than boys.

Motivation in physical education across the primary--secondary school transition

Warburton, V., Spray, C. — 2008-05-13

The purpose of this study was to examine the temporal patterns of approach-avoidance achievement goals, implicit theories of ability and perceived competence in physical education across the transition from primary to secondary school. We also evaluated the predictive utility of implicit theories and perceived competence with regard to achievement goal adoption, and determined the moderating influence of gender on temporal patterns and antecedent—goal relationships. One hundred and forty pupils (mean age at start of study = 11.37 years, SD = .28) completed measures of entity and incremental beliefs, perceived competence and goals on four occasions during a 12-month period. Mastery-approach, performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals, as well as entity and incremental beliefs, exhibited a linear decline over time. Mastery-avoidance goals showed no significant change. Girls exhibited a linear decline in perceived competence, whereas for boys the trajectory was curvilinear. Competence perceptions predicted initial scores, but not rate of change, on mastery-approach and both types of performance goals. Incremental beliefs predicted rate of change in mastery-approach goal adoption, whereas entity beliefs were associated with changes in performance-avoidance goals and initial scores on performance-approach goals. Limited differences between boys and girls in these antecedent—goal relationships were observed.

Pupils' perceptions of and experiences in team invasion games: A case study of a Scottish secondary school and its three feeder primary schools

Gray, S., Sproule, J., Wang, C.K. J. — 2008-05-13

It has been claimed that young children in schools in Scotland cannot relate to the activities that are taught in the more `traditional' PE curriculum, activities that predominately include team invasion games (TIG) such as basketball, soccer and hockey (Scottish Executive, 2004). However, one of the issues with this claim is that it does not appear to derive from any empirical, Scottish-based, research. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate pupils' perceptions of and experiences in TIG within the PE curriculum in Scotland, specifically their perception of competence, enjoyment and the value they attach to games such as soccer and basketball. We gathered data from three year groups, primary 7 (P7) (age = 11 ± 0.8 yrs), secondary 2 (S2) (age = 13.5 ± 0.5 yrs) and secondary 4 (S4) (age = 15 ± 0.4 yrs) from one urban state school in Edinburgh and its three feeder primary schools (n = 285). All of the pupils in this study completed a questionnaire and a sample from each year group took part in a focus group interview. We found that P7 pupils valued the role of TIG within their PE curriculum more highly than the S4 pupils. For all of the year groups in this study, there was a positive relationship between their perception of competence and enjoyment of TIG and the value they attached to them. These findings warrant further research into the ways in which TIG are delivered in Scottish schools to understand more fully why pupils in Scottish schools value the role of TIG less as they move from P7 to S4.

Teaching sport education to Russian students: An ecological analysis

Sinelnikov, O., Hastie, P. — 2008-05-13

Given Russian students' general lack of group work and opportunities to develop student responsibility in their prior schooling experiences, the purpose of this study was to examine how a group of Russian high school students responds to novel demands of participation in a sport education season. Forty-two students from two ninth-grade physical education classes participated in basketball seasons lasting 18 lessons. The analysis of video records of lessons, interactive student journals, group and individual interviews demonstrated that these students were highly compliant with the explicit tasks in the managerial and instructional task systems, and became increasingly at ease with the tasks requiring less teacher direction. It was in the student social system that the most dramatic observations were noted. For some, the disruption in their social agenda led to different ways of fun. For others, the season design allowed for team affiliation and achieving goals previously unseen or unavailable during physical education.

Pedagogical practices of reflection in tertiary dance education

Leijen, A., Lam, I., Simons, P. R.-J., Wildschut, L. — 2008-05-13

The three different perspectives on reflection in education are embedded in the philosophical traditions of pragmatism, critical social theory and Kant. We aimed to describe the pedagogical practices of reflection, and to develop a descriptive model of the practices of reflection in tertiary dance education which can be used by dance educators to support their students' reflection activities. Data about the reflection practices were collected from 13 dance teachers in the Netherlands. The developed model of pedagogical practices consists of five types of reflection based on the Kantian and pragmatists' notions of reflection.

Adolescent girls' perceptions of physical activity: A focus group study

Whitehead, S., Biddle, S. — 2008-05-13

Low levels of physical activity among adolescent girls are a cause for concern. Examining girls' physical activity perceptions and motivations through in-depth qualitative research allows for greater understanding of the reasons behind their physical activity-related choices. Forty-seven girls aged 14 to 16 years participated in exploratory focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was carried out in which data were analysed inductively using a constant comparison method. The findings illustrate the extent to which adolescent girls' physical activity participation is affected by social influences and perceived societal norms. Furthermore, changing priorities throughout adolescence mean that physical activity is deprioritized, with many girls stating that they cannot be bothered to take part. Recommendations to increase participation include encouraging parental support, introducing peer mentoring schemes involving girls who enjoy and regularly participate in physical activity and providing activities for adolescent girls that are fun, informal in nature and involve participation with friends.

Articulating a Merleau-Pontian phenomenology of physical education: The quest for active student engagement and authentic assessment in high-stakes examination awards

Thorburn, M. — 2008-05-13

In an earlier paper some of the conceptual and curriculum coherence challenges of linking practically based experiential learning with authentic attainment in high-stakes examination awards in physical education were analysed (Thorburn, 2007). Problems often existed for students in deriving subject knowledge understanding from tasks where there was a lack of personalized engagement in learning. Due to weaknesses in previous cognitive attempts to adequately describe intentional activity, this paper argues in preliminary fashion that articulating a Merleau-Pontian phenomenology of physical education could improve the methodological basis for linking students' lived-body experiences with the acquisition of an increasingly detailed subject knowledge, provided that learning intentions are clearly identified and achievable. The situation in Higher Still Physical Education (HSPE) in Scotland is reviewed as one curriculum example where teachers could, despite current problems, more authentically deploy phenomenology-informed methodologies in order to improve the authenticity of students' learning experiences and assessment results.

Anniversary editorial: 30 years on

Green, K., Hardman, K., Hardman, K. — 2008-01-10

The relationship between situational and contextual self-determined motivation and physical activity intensity as measured by heart rates during ninth grade students' physical education classes

Jaakkola, T., Liukkonen, J., Laakso, T., Ommundsen, Y. — 2008-01-10

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between situational and contextual self-determined motivation and physical activity intensity as measured by heart rates during a ninth-grade students' physical education (PE) class. The participants of the study were 139 Finnish ninth-grade students (15-year-olds). The data were collected during one 60-minute PE class held by the class PE teacher. Results revealed that more self-determined situational motivation negatively predicted the lowest heart rate category (<120 beats/min.) as well as the next lowest heart rate category (120—40 beats/min.). Neither variation in type of situational or contextual motivations explained heart rates in the next highest category (140—60 beats/min.), whereas the highest heart rate category (>160 beats/min.) was positively predicted by situational motivation. Lastly, highly self-determined situational motivation accounted for a significant amount of variance in mean heart rate value. Taken together, results revealed that situational motivation associated more strongly with physical activity intensity as measured by heart rate than did contextual motivation.

Playing a political game and playing for position: Policy and curriculum development in health and physical education

Penney, D. — 2008-01-10

This paper addresses prospective policy relationships between health and physical education (HPE) and contemporary education policies. It specifically explores the opportunities and challenges that contemporary education discourses present for policy and curriculum development in HPE. Contemporary education discourses of lifelong learning, learning communities, personalized learning, inclusivity and excellence are critically analysed in relation to policy and curriculum development in HPE. It is contended that these discourses present a potentially strong focus for advocacy and that their adoption may be an astute political move for HPE. Recent curriculum development in senior physical education in Western Australia is used to illustrate the scope for the discourses to be embedded in curricula and for HPE to thereby be seen to firmly connect with key education agendas.

Students' attitudes and perceived purposes of physical education in Singapore: Perspectives from a 2 x 2 achievement goal framework

Wang, C.K., Lim, B.S., Aplin, N.G., Chia, Y.H.M., McNeill, M., Tan, W.K. — 2008-01-10

The aim of the present study was to re-examine the relationships between achievement goals and perceived purposes of PE, perceived motivational climates, attitudes towards PE teachers and affective outcomes using the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework. Questionnaires were completed by 493 secondary school students (222 males, 262 females, 9 missing) in Singapore. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters that differed significantly in their achievement goals profiles. One cluster consisting of high scores on mastery approach, mastery avoidance and performance avoidance achievement goals was linked to the most positive set of characteristics and outcomes, while the cluster with low achievement goals was linked to most negative characteristics and outcomes. There was another cluster with moderate levels of mastery approach that had relatively positive perceptions and attitudes towards PE. The findings of these three goal profiles provide insight and add knowledge to the existing literature. Research that ignores the independence of the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework may risk making spurious conclusions.

Reconceptualizing student motivation in physical education: An examination of what resources are valued by pre-adolescent girls in contemporary society

O'Donovan, T., Kirk, D. — 2008-01-10

Despite receiving an unprecedented level of government funding to ensure young people have two hours of high quality physical education (PE) and sport, physical educators in the UK continue to decry poor motivation levels and disengaged youth in PE. The major purpose of this paper is to achieve a greater understanding of the factors that motivate young girls' engagement in PE. Throughout this paper we foreground the perspectives of 13 white pre-adolescent girls through an ecological analysis of naturally occurring talk and interviews with pupils in year 7 (aged 11 to 12 years) of a suburban town in the UK Midlands. The discussion that follows attempts to provide new vantage points for contemplating what motivates pre-adolescent girls' engagement in PE. This paper examines the ways that this group of girls position themselves around available discourses in a wider physical and popular culture.

Reconsidering feminisms and the work of Norbert Elias for understanding gender, sport and sport-related activities

Mansfield, L. — 2008-01-10

This paper reconsiders the relationships between feminist perspectives and the figurational/process-sociological perspective of Norbert Elias for understanding gender, sport and sport-related activities. The main aim of the article is to respond to Colwell's claim that there are differences between feminist and figurational approaches to understanding and explaining gender that potentially negate the possibility of being a feminist and figurational sociologist at the same time. The paper makes a contribution to the wider discussions about the adequacy of Elias's work in understanding gender and sport, and the potential of blending feminist and figurational perspectives on sport and gender. It introduces the principles underlying feminist and figurational approaches to sociology. The key features of the ongoing debate about the differences between feminist and figurational approaches are briefly outlined. I reply to Colwell's criticisms of my work and revisit issues surrounding the role of values and evaluation in sociology. Involved-detachment is introduced as a feminist interpretation of Elias's theory of ever changing balances of involvement-detachment. The final part of the paper presents some reflections about working with involved-detachment in specific research on women's involvement in sport-related fitness activities.

The problem of ideology in making sense of physical education and sport: Reflections on the Colwell Mansfield debate

Liston, K. — 2008-01-10

Two papers in the European Physical Education Review by Colwell (1999) and Mansfield (this issue) have argued respectively against, and in favour of, a potential synthesis between feminism and figurational sociology as a vehicle for making more adequate sense of physical education and sport. This paper offers both selective summaries and reflections upon some of the theoretical implications arising from this exchange, specifically as it relates to sport in schools. The first sections offer some remarks about sociological theory and the ways in which the theoretical endeavour is bound up with what C. Wright Mills has termed `the sociological imagination', one aspect of which has included the relatively recent emergence of a more reflexive, democratizing and synthesizing generation of sociologists. The paper concludes that we do not have to either agree or disagree with Colwell or Mansfield. Nor is there a need for a present-centred approach to, or resolution of, the theoretical issues arising from the exchange. Rather, there is scope for stimulating further this kind of dialogue between researchers of physical education, sport and gender and being well versed in these concerns.