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Dissertation: Physical Education and Academic Performance – Data Analysis II

Essays — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:13:27 +0000

Table 5

Pairwise Comparison for Groups on Math Pre- and Post-Test Scores

Group (I) TIMPER (J) TIMEPER

Mean Difference (I-J)

Std. Error

Sig.

control 1 2

2 1

-13.000

13.000

2.920

.000

Experimental 1 2

2 1

-26.098

26.098

2.884

.000

Table 5 indicates that while there was a significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores for both groups, there was also a significant interaction in that the experimental group not only improve, they also made up the gap that existed at the pre-test (p = .05).

The results show that both the control and experimental groups significantly improved their math and reading skills over the twelve-week period. The experimental group actually showed more improvement than the control group based on their average scores. Students receiving the extra physical education moved from a pretest score average of 35.04 in Math to 61.13. Students in the control group moved from a pretest Math score of 44.16 to 57.16. Not only did the experimental group outperform the control on average, but they also made up a deficiency. This difference was significant (p =.05). On average pretest score in reading for the experimental group was 35.40 with a posttest improvement to 51.94. This is in comparison with the control group, whose pretest average score was 41.56 with a posttest improvement to 51.20. The results in reading were not scientifically different, but once again the extra physical education group made up a deficit.

Dissertation: Physical Education and Academic Performance – Data Analysis

Essays — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:06:24 +0000

Chapter 4: DATA ANALYSIS

In this study the entire third grade at Tryon participated in the study, with only one student not receiving parental permission. There were four 3rd grade classes. Two were randomly chosen to be the experimental group and two the control. The subjects had already been pre-assigned to their classes before selection. Data were collected using a pre and post-test in reading and mathematics. All subjects were given the same test, in the same testing environment. Their classroom teacher gave the tests in the regular classroom. The students were told that the results from this study would not affect their grades.

The control group consisted of 41 third grade students. Twenty-two were male; while nineteen were female. This was the same as the experimental group, which consisted of 41 students, twenty-two male and nineteen female.

Analysis of the Data

Separate repeated measures 2 x 2 ANOVA were used to determine whether there was a significant difference between the pre and post test scores for both the control and experimental groups for reading and math. A pairwise comparison for groups on the reading and math pre- and post-test scores was also conducted to test for significance of interaction between groups.

Results

Subjects in both the experimental group and the control group were given a pre-test and post-test for reading. The data for the sample are shown in Table 1.

Chapter 4
DATA ANALYSIS

This study was designed to explore the effects of increased physical education on reading and mathematics test scores in third grade students at Tryon Elementary. Reading and mathematics test scores were used to determine the differences between the control and experimental group. Those differences were measured by using a 2 x 2 ANOVA. In this study the entire third grade at Tryon participated in the study, with only one student not receiving parental permission. There were four 3rd grade classes. Two were randomly chosen to be the experimental group and two the control. The subjects had already been pre-assigned to their classes before selection. Data were collected using a pre and post-test in reading and mathematics. All subjects were given the same test, in the same testing environment. Their classroom teacher gave the tests in the regular classroom. The students were told that the results from this study would not affect their grades. The control group consisted of 41 third grade students. Twenty-two were male; while nineteen were female. This was the same as the experimental group, which consisted of 41 students, twenty-two male and nineteen female. Analysis of the Data
Separate repeated measures 2 x 2 ANOVA were used to determine whether there was a significant difference between the pre and post test scores for both the control and experimental groups for reading and math. A pairwise comparison for groups on the reading and math pre- and post-test scores was also conducted to test for significance of interaction between groups.Results
Subjects in both the experimental group and the control group were given a pre-test and post-test for reading. The data for the sample are shown in Table 1.

Table 1

Summary of Means and Standard Deviations for Both Groups for Pre- and Post Reading Tests

Group N Mean SD Std. Error Mean

Pre-Test Control

Pre-Test Experimental 40

41 41.5632

35.4046 18.23106

15.08687 2.88258

2.35617

Post-Test Control

Post-Test Experimental 40

41 51.2095

51.9495 18.38346

15.65312 2.90668

2.44461

Subjects in both the experimental group and the control group were also given a pre- and post-test for math. The data for the sample are displayed in Table 2.

Table 2

Summary of Means and Standard Deviations for Both Groups for Pre- and Post-Tests for Math

Group N Mean SD Std. Error Mean

Pre-Test Control

Pre-Test Experimental 40

41 44.1663

35.0405 18.50159

16.96613 2.92536

2.64966

Post-Test Control

Post-Test Experimental 40

41 57.1665

61.1380 21.47744

22.65192 3.39588

3.53764

The research question was whether there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups on pre- and post-test scores for reading and math. It was expected that both groups would improve; however, based on current research, it was expected that the experimental group would show more improvement. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA on two factors, group and time. The data for the reading scores for both groups relative to time (pre and post) are reported in Table 3.

Table 3

Analysis of Variance Summary Between Groups Relative to Time on Pre- and Post-Test Scores for Reading

Source df Mean Square F Sig.

TIMEPER 1 69 55.664 .000

TIMEPER 1 48.786 3.862 .053

Error (TIMEPER) 79 124.757

Table 3 shows that there was a significant difference between time periods in that both groups improved from pre- to post-test (p = .95).

Data for the math pre-and post-tests scores for both groups were also analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA on two factors, group and time. The data for the math scores for both groups relative to time (pre and post) are reported in Table 4.

Table 4

Analysis of Variance Summary Between Groups Relative to Time on Pre- and Post-Test Scores for Math

Source df Mean Square F Sig.

TIMEPER 1 15475.109 90.734 .000

TIMEPER 1 1736.573 10.182 .002

Error (TIMEPER) 79 170.555

Table 4 shows that there was a significant difference between time periods in that both groups improved from pre- to post-test (p = .95). It should be noted that the experimental group scored much lower on the pre-test than the control group. Thus, a pairwise comparison was made to determine significance of interaction between the two groups. Date are reported in Table 5.

Dissertation: Physical Education and Academic Performance – Literature Review. Part VI

Essays — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:58:29 +0000

Janz et al (2000) examined several different areas: body composition, sexual maturation, aerobic physical fitness, muscular fitness, and physical activity. All of the data analysis was stratified by gender. The data from year 1 of the study was compared to the data of year 5 using a Wilcoxon signed rank test, to determine if there were changes over time. Fitness and physical activity were measured two different ways. First, the Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated to determine how well year five results were predicted in year one. Second, they were categorized into tertiles. The statistical significance of tracking the tertiles was assessed using Kendall’s tau-b. The subjects received one yearly physical examination for five years, and they received a total of 20 examinations, four per year, to assess physical activity and body composition.
Janz et al (2000) examined the results from the 5-year study and discovered that, mean body mass, height, and fat free mass increased each year for both boys and girls. By year four, 42% of the boys were in post or late puberty (mean age 13.8yr), and by year five, 75% of the girls were in late or post puberty (mean age 14.2yr). Peak VO2 was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in year one than year five for the boys and girls, with girls being two times greater than boys were. There were no significant differences in peak HR from year one to year five. Peak O2 pulse increased from year one to year five in both boys and girls. The Spearman correlation between variables assessed at year five compared to year one generally showed a decline in the strength of the association over the 5-year time period. The correlation was used to determine the tracking predictability. In boys and girls, peak power, peak grip strength, and peak VO2 showed the highest degree of tracking. In boys, the peak power and peak grip had correlation ranges from 0.68 to 0.90. Peak VO2, peak HR, peak O2 pulse. Girl’s results were similar with a few exceptions. Peak power and peak grip showed the highest degree of tracking with correlation range from 0.52 to 0.80.
The results that were compiled by Janz et al (2000) demonstrated important information in regard to the predictability and tracking of physical fitness and both vigorous and sedentary activity. These variables were shown to be stable and very capable of being tracked from childhood to adolescence. The study indicated that boys tend to settle into fitness and activity patterns sooner than girls do. The fact that sedentary activity was stable throughout the study seems to warrant that there should be early intervention for females. This study clearly indicated that certain variables associated with physical fitness and physical activity can be accurately tracked from childhood to adolescence.
Caterino and Polak (1993) conducted a study on the effects that three types of activity have on performance on a test of concentration among fourth grade children. This study was an experimental study used to further investigate the benefits of physical activity. The researchers believed that by conducting the study they would show that physical activity at worst, had no detrimental impact towards concentration.
Caterino and Polak’s (1993) experiment was a one-day study in which 60 fourth grade students were randomly assigned to three separate treatment groups. The three groups were a recess group, (n=19) passive activity group, (n=20) and physical activity group (n=21).
According to Caterino and Polak (1993), the experiment took place immediately after lunch. The subjects reported to their assigned groups, and for the next 15 minutes they participated in their groups’ assigned activity. The recess group was allowed to play freely as normal. The passive group viewed a Garfield videotape in the library, while the physical activity group engaged in 15-minutes of stretching and aerobic walking. At the end of the 15-minute period all three treatments reported to an all-purpose room and took the Woodcock-Johnson (1989) test of concentration.
Caterino and Polak (1993) indicated that data collected from an ANOVA showed that there were no significant differences between the three treatments. However, it did show that there were significant differences between fourth grade males and females (p < .02), in favor of females. The fact that there were no differences between the three groups indicates that there is no reason to worry about the time that physical education is scheduled in regards to the curriculum. The report of the differences between the males and females show that there needs to be further research to determine what extent the independent factors of academic ability test taking ability and the ability to concentrate had on the test results. While there were no significant differences, the means of the physical activity group were higher than the other two groups.