UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL PHYSCAL EDUCATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON CHOICES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN COLLEGE by JEREMY SHANE LACKMAN (Under the Direction of Jepkorir Rose Chepyator-Thomson) ABSTRACT Public education is a rite of passage for youth; it is an avenue to acquire social and educational skills that promote social advancement. Yet some urban schools lack necessary facilities and equipment to allow for adequate learning (Montalvo, 2007). There is evidence that factors such as poverty and violence influence the quality of education that students receive (Hannaway & Talbert, 1993; Wells, Lipton, Hirshberg & Oakes, 1995). Student voice research in education is integral in understanding how to improve educational settings for students (Corbett & Wilson, 2002; Dyson, 2006; Graham, 1995; Pissanos & Allison, 1993). The purpose of this study was firstly to understand first-year college students’ reflections on their urban school PE program and secondly to ascertain the impact that high school PE had on their participation in college physical activity. Participants of this study were sixteen college Freshman students enrolled in basic physical education classes in the Fall semester of 2013 who had taken at least one physical education class in an urban school setting during their high school years. Data collection methods included semi-structured, open-ended, qualitative interviews. Constant comparison method (Glaser and Strauss, 1967) and thematic content analysis were used in data analysis. Several findings emerged and they include the following: (a) state mandated courses in physical education, (b) unfavorable teaching conditions that included overcrowded schools and a lack of material resources, (c) teacher characteristics such as a lack of: enthusiasm, teaching, caring, and structure, (d) teacher/coach role conflict, (e) favoritism towards athletic students, and (f) sexism in teaching. Students desired changes for the improvement of urban physical education programs which included: development of a diversified curriculum where non-traditional sports and activities are offered, more in-depth coverage of sports that students care about, and provision of adequate equipment and resources to promote student engagement in physical education. Finally, scholars in teacher training programs need to prepare teachers for the difficult and challenging world of urban schools. INDEX WORDS: Physical education, Urban high school, College, Student experiences, Physical activity, Curriculum UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL PHYSCAL EDUCATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON CHOICES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN COLLEGE by JEREMY SHANE LACKMAN B.S., Central Missouri State University, 2000 M.Ed., Brooklyn College (CUNY), 2010 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2014 © 2014 Jeremy Shane Lackman All Rights Reserved UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES OF CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN URBAN HIGH SCHOOL PHYSCAL EDUCATION AND THEIR IMPACT ON CHOICES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN COLLEGE by JEREMY SHANE LACKMAN Major Professor: Jepkorir Rose Chepyator-Thomson Committee: Billy Hawkins Melissa Freeman Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2014 iv DEDICATION I was told that this page and the acknowledgments (next few pages) are the only pages that are truly mine in my dissertation as the rest has been adjusted and edited by others (namely my committee). Therefore I want to say what I want to say. I try to live by the quote “live for today, dream for tomorrow, learn from yesterday”. So this is dedicated to all those dreamers out there. This dissertation is also dedicated to everyone I have ever met in my life, believe it or not, you have influenced me in one way or another to make me who I am today, and for that I thank you. I specifically would like to dedicate this to my parents who weren’t given the opportunity to go to college like I was and if it was not for them, I simply would not be here. People usually dedicate this section to some sort of higher power, but for me, when asked the question “If you don’t believe in a higher power, what do you believe in?” the answer was always “myself”, so I am dedicating this to me, after all, I did the work. Finally I want to end with a quote I came up with. It is “If you were to die tomorrow, it would be sad. But wouldn’t it be sadder if you died not having lived your life the way you wanted.” by Jeremy Lackman. So, be yourself and live your life for you, after all, it is your life and no one else’s. I am not sure who is going to read these 228 pages. The actual dissertation (chapters 1-5 and references and appendices) is 211 pages, with 17 pages at the beginning of title pages, abstract, dedications, etc. If you do decide to read it, curl up in front of a fire, grab a hot cup of cocoa, and snuggle in a blanket and have fun, it will keep your attention and is a page turner, you may finish it in one sitting!!!! I am the new Dan Brown, Stephanie Meyer, J.K. Rowling, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Alexandre Dumas, and William Shakespeare. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Rose Chepyator-Thomson, my advisor, professor, and mentor. Thank you so much for all you have done for me, for the letters of recommendation, the editing of papers and a dissertation, and for allowing me opportunities to teach. You are an amazing woman and I shall always be indebted to you for your guidance and knowledge. You were so fun to work with and very understanding and helpful, a rare treat in a person. Thank you!!!!! Dr. Billy Hawkins, my committee member and professor, for all his insight and knowledge on the social aspects of sports and for the great advice on the dissertation. Dr. Melissa Freeman, my committee member and professor, for all her insight and knowledge on the qualitative research and theory and for helping me craft my proposal, I know it was a long hard road. Dr. Bryan McCullick, my professor and other mentor, for all his assistance in my PhD career. From writing letters of recommendation to giving me my first lecture course to allowing me the experience of supervising pre service teachers and for being a role model for PE teachers everywhere. One thing is apparent, you love what you are doing and try and make others love it too. Dr. Paul Schempp, my professor and “who I want to have a life like” crush. I hope one day to have a life like yours. I learned a lot about teaching from you, and none of it was bad. You are amazing at presenting information in a fun and easy to understand manner. Thank you also for including me in the AAHPERD trip, I felt like one of the boys. Dr. Matt Smith, my publishing god and good friend. I have no idea how you do what you do, but it is amazing. You are so helpful and became like an advisor to me, even vi though not even in my department. Thanks for stopping by the office, talking, and helping me to learn how to use SPSS, Excel and write a publication. You are such a cool person. Thanks for being my mentor/advisor/confidant/friend. Professor Mike Hipscher, my Brooklyn College professor and advisor. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t even be writing this or be in school for my PhD at all. You encouraged me to go to get my PhD and did so much for me from writing letters to helping me get scholarships. You were so kind and so fun, I loved being in your classes. I want to be like you when I get a job in academia. My parents (Ben and Elaine Lackman) and brother (Jason Lackman) for all the fun and enjoyment we had when I was younger. Keep at it and I miss you. Dr. Ian Wallace, my friend, we ended up at the same point, just me a bit later than you, and a different degree, but you helped encourage me and had been down the road before, so you were a tremendous encouragement to me. Dr. Ali Boolani, my friend, thanks for the rides, the sports, the encouragement, and just for being the nice lovable teddy bear that you are. Athens misses you. Mr. Steven Morrison, my friend, for all the nice computer goodies, upgrades, software, SPSS, etc. To Kim Norton for all the help getting computers for all my oral defenses. The athletic program at UGA for allowing me to be a division I SEC athlete (as Spike the mascot) and for all the free T-shirts, food, and prizes over the four years. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to distract myself from work. And to Heidi for uploading all my commit to the G hundies. I will always be Committed to the G. The Outdoor Rec Program for the whitewater rafting, hang-gliding, swimming with manatees, and learning to sail. vii UGA Union for Dawgs After Dark, comedians, hypnotists, movies at Tate, and everything else. You were a great release from school. Athens, a great college town, it’s no city, but for college, it was good. To Centertown, Brooklyn, Queens, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Linn, Warrensburg, and places abroad, you were amazing places to live. To the 2 study abroads I went on with Discover Abroad: to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (for free) and to Antarctica (not for free). My bike(s) for getting me around the town and campus every day.