The trend and/or issue such as
’Dropping Out of Sport'
Margot Bowes
Chris Williams
2011
Overview of Workshop
• Critical Evaluation and unpacking the 2011
specs and examiner report.
Look at previous questions and then
develop a moot for courtroom debate.
Traps not to fall into
• Why Kids Drop out of sport? SPARC
Research and 10 recommendations
(Billy Merchant)
• Critical Reading and preparing for small
group debate? Using SPEECH & then
courtroom debate
2011 Physical Education Scholarship Exam Specs
Content/Context Details
Questions will draw on candidates’ knowledge from the following
areas;
Planning, implementation and/or evaluation of physical activity
programmes/experiences, drawing upon knowledge underpinning
achievement standards 90739 and 90740.
Trends and/or issues impacting on New Zealand society, such as
dropping out of sport, drawing upon knowledge underpinning
achievement standard 90743.
Programmes for performance improvement drawing upon
knowledge underpinning achievement standards 90741, 90742.
Physical activity, health promotion and taking action drawing upon
knowledge underpinning achievement standards 90739, 90740,
90743, 90744.
Icebreaker
The main reason kids are
dropping out of sport is
because schools and
parents take it too
seriously
‘Critical Evaluation” is the process of making informed and
valid judgements or conclusions supported by
comprehensive knowledge and evidence. Throughout the
process we challenge assumptions and taken for granted
points of view through reflecting and examining pros and
cons, bias and different perspectives”
2010 Examiners report for this spec
Specifically candidates:
• defined ‘cotton wool kids’ and what it might mean from a range of
perspectives
Define dropping out of sport and what this might mean? And what
this might mean as an impact on NZ society?
• critically discussed what a trend might be, also considered the
difference between a trend and an issue
What is the difference between a trend and an issue? How would
you answer this question if dropping out of sport was proposed as
an issue or a growing trend impacting on NZ society?
• looked at a wide range of perspectives as to what ‘cotton woolling’
might be/mean
What perspectives could you look at dropping out of sport from?
• did not make assumptions that ‘cotton wool kids’ was about
inactivity, and developed an argument that ‘cotton wool kids’
could be about too much organisation by parents
What are the assumptions traps that you need to make sure you
don’t fall into?
• questioned whether or not NZ was a nation of ‘cotton wool kids’
and parents who foster it, or if there were just some aspects of it.
What would be important to question here? What is the
evidence? Is it valid?
• made comment on some impacts on New Zealand society but
missed the opportunity to critically evaluate whether or not this
was throughout New Zealand or if it was more localised e.g.
rural versus urban.
What are/could be the impacts on NZ society? How could you
critically evaluate these?
Trends and Issues
Which is which?
A swing, topic, question, shift, theme,
move , concern
The general direction in
which something is going
An important topic for
debate or resolution
A change or development in Treat seriously as a
a general direction.
problem
A bend or turn away in a
specified direction
A subject for discussion or
concern
Previous Questions
2010 Spec
2010 Question
Trends and/or issues
impacting on New
Zealand society, such
as “cotton wool kids”,
drawing upon
knowledge
underpinning
achievement standard
90743
In recent times, popular media have reported on
the growing trend towards a generation of “cotton
wool kids” and its potential impact on New
Zealand society.
Consider an extract – from
ezinearticles.com/?Are-Your-Children-CottonWool-Kids? – given this in the paper
Critically evaluate the growing trend towards a
generation of “cotton wool kids” and its potential
impact on New Zealand society.
Illustrate your evaluation with appropriate
examples from your own knowledge and
experience.
2009 Spec
2009 Question
Society and physical
activity drawing upon
knowledge underpinning
achievement standard
90743
Consider a current physical activity event, trend,
or issue impacting on New Zealand society you
have studied. This may include, but is not limited
to, topics such as:
• amateurism versus professionalism in sport
• body image and representation
• child obesity
• commercialisation in sport
• fitness crazes
• Maori and/or Pasifika festival(s)
• sports clothing
• the Olympics
Drawing on your knowledge of the current
physical activity, trend, or issue, critically
evaluate its impact on NZ society.
Your evaluation may also consider the
causes/influences of the event, trend or issue and
how its perceived.
2011 Exam – Possible question
formats – Brainstorm..
2011 Spec
2011 Question
Trends and/or issues
impacting on New Zealand
society, such as dropping out
of sport, drawing upon
knowledge underpinning
achievement standard 90743.
2011
Critically evaluate the
issue of kids and
adolescents dropping
out of sport and its
potential impact on New
Zealand society.
Illustrate your evaluation
with appropriate
examples from your own
knowledge and
experience.
EXAM QUESTION
From the ideas of what the exam question might
be come up with a moot (focussed on the impact
on NZ society) for a debate at the end of this
session.
Remember the moot needs to be a statement.
Possible Moot
Why play sport when there
are so many other more
exciting things for kids to do
today?
?????Is this……..
Remember to question if this is:
A societal assumption
Personal judgement based on your experience/s
Based on research etc
•
Things to consider – bias, privilege, power, and
disadvantage
READINGS
Your group is going to be given different articles to read
based around the issue/trend of ’dropping out of sport'
You need to read 1 of the articles and complete the following:
Gather evidence towards your moot and summarise key
points back to your group

Share any other research you may have looked at in your
schools/links to personal experience/s

Use SPEECH handouts to record key points across the
readings

SPEECH
SOCIAL
Influences of the community, including how well people are included,
supported and cared for by one another
POLITICAL
The legal and policy decisions made by organisations that provide
national or regional public services.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Environment (or physical) influences (eg having safe recreational
facilities available that are unpolluted, and accessible to people of
different abilities).
ECONOMICAL
CULTURAL
HISTORICAL
How much money people and communities have access to is a big
influence on what opportunities people have. (Economic influences are
usually closely connected with political influences).
Culture comes in many forms, be it ethnic-based, youth culture, sporting
culture, national culture, etc. Culture is about the values, beliefs and
practices of a group of people that get passes from one generation to the
next. A cultural group will have certain values and practices that identify
it as a cultural group.
What has happened in the past; historic influences are usually closely
tied to cultural influences.
REMEMBER
Think broadly about a range of SPEECH factors
AND
Link back to the impact on NZ society
DEBATE
You now have a few minutes to clarify your
thoughts around the moot before the debate
begins.
Pros and Cons of Dropping out of
sport
Pros and Cons of Dropping out of
sport
Obesity
Inactivity
Sedentary lifestyles
Naturally decreases with age
Doing other things
Work and study pressures
Unrealistic expectations
Early specialization
Peaking early
Conflict with social life
Lifestyle transitions
Hauora
Caring supportive coaches
Coach’s communication skills
Athlete-centred coaching
Family culture
Family structure
To drop out of sport?
•Lack of interest
•Health benefits
•Too competitive
•Voluntary
•Fields always closed
•Fun
•Cost over full season
•Recreational
•Over zealous parents
•Informal, social
•Coaches (overcoaching or favouritism) •Evidence that participation has
increased
•No fun
•Offer wide range
•Gender-specific reasons- effects of
mixed teams, rigid notions of feminity •Quality sport in PE
or masculinity
•Reduce emphasis on winning
•Poor quality PE
•Reduce parental involvement
•Friends
Traps not to fall into:
Candidates who were not awarded Scholarship or Scholarship
with Outstanding Performance typically
• did not define what ‘cotton wool kids’ might be
• immediately assumed that this meant that kids were inactive and
therefore would be obese
• attempted to write a prepared essay, without reading the question
eg: childhood obesity
• did not comment on the impact on NZ society.
All workshop material can be found at:
http://peandhealth.wikispaces.com/Physical+Education
Factors that seem to be important
Family sporting culture important Higher education seems to have
little effect
Family demographics
Effected by life events and
Family networks
transitions
Interaction of gender, social
Voluntary nature important
class, ethnicity, age
Needs to mostly be fun, social
Life phases and transitions
and informal
Participation increase with socio- Participation levels set more by
economic status, 2 parent
family culture than PE
families,
Sport in PE seen as artificial
Participation patterns set by 16
Participation decreases as
students get older
Final Thoughts
Key Terms
Socialization
Habitus
Social Capital
Some Conclusions
•Offer a wide range
•Make it voluntary
•Praise not rewards
•Coaching to a minimum
•Mentoring
•Friends
•Life Transition periods crucial
•Role of media crucial
References
Coakley, J.L. (2004). Sport and society: Issues and controversies (8th Ed.). St. Louis: Times Mirror/Mosby.
Fraser-Thomas, J., Côté, J., & Deakin, J. (2008). Understanding dropout and prolonged engagement in adolescent competitive
sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9(5), 645-662.
Slater, A., & Tiggemann, M. (2010). “Uncool to do sport”: A focus group study of adolescent girls’ reasons for withdrawing from
physical activity.Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 11(6), 619-626.
Wheeler, S. (2011). The significance of family culture for sports participation. International review for the sociology of sport.pp1-18.
Whitehead, S., & Biddle, S. (2008). Adolescent girls' perceptions of physical activity: A focus group study. European Physical
Education Review, 14(2), 243-262.
Newspaper Articles:
GRAY, K. (2006). Message to teens: Fight fat, keep fit, have fun. . The Press 25.01.2006. p. A5.
Study shows girls slow down at weekends. (2009) The Press 05.02.2009. p. A7
Reid, F. Keeping kids involved in sport North Shore Times 19.04.2011