DTIC ADA280201: Effectiveness of the Physical Education Curriculum at the United States Military Academy in Preparing Its Women Graduates PDF
Preview DTIC ADA280201: Effectiveness of the Physical Education Curriculum at the United States Military Academy in Preparing Its Women Graduates
)xiCD AD-A280 201 S(cid:127)u(cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127)(cid:127)(cid:127)° (cid:127)'(cid:127)'(cid:127)!I Z 1"%11,11,1 IIN 11,i(cid:127);1l.o11r11o11o11l11 111111111 1III(cid:127)(cid:127)i111 MAUREEN K. LEBOEUF VII 241B Barnard Loop SWest Point, New York 10996 5 June 1994 Defense Technical Information Center ATTN: DTIC-DDAC Cameron Station Alexandria, VA 22314 To Whom It May Concern: Enclosed are two copies of my completed dissertation titled: Effectiveness of the Physical Education Curriculum at the United States Military Academy in Preparing its Women Graduates. The signed approval page is also enclosed. If additional information is needed please contact me at the Department of Physical Education at the United States Military Academy. LTC, AV United States Army " _ to'o c ,,'(cid:127):t,.(cid:127) I-i~ ftol Public il' .. and .-ult-; its MAUREEN KEENAN LEBOEUF Effectiveness of the Physical Education Curriculum at the United States Military Academy in Preparing its Women Graduates. (Under the direction of ANN E. JEWETT) Understanding the participant perspective of a program is important in order to determine if the curriculum is in fact achieving the desired outcomes. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the physical education curriculum of the United States Military Academy in the preparation of its women graduates for their role as Army officers and leaders. This study focused on the perceptions of women graduates concerning the physical 0 education curriculum and related experiences. To provide a context for this study an extensive review of the literature centered around the changes which have been implemented at the United States Military Academy within Cod"_- the Department of Physical Education since the arrival of ua women in 1976. Participants were 181 women graduates of the U States Military Academy from the classes of 1980, 1985, and 1990. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire which centered around the operational definition of eifectiveness. In this study effectiveness was defined as an evaluation of the extent to which the individual participant derived satisfaction from the physical education program, acquired fitness knowledge and skills, adopted a pattern of regular participation in fitness activities, and ultimately, observed a beneficial impact on 94610v the unit to which the individual is assigned. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with 13 women graduates in an attempt to probe for additional information in areas identified during the data analysis. Content analysis was used to determine the categories which were most prevalent in the data. The categories which emerged for the classes include: increased self- confidence, hard work and discipline; excelling physically; credibility; being a role: model; benefits of fitness; teaching; and increased self-esteem. It was determined that few changes have been made in the physical education curriculum since the admission of women in 1976. Additionally, the women have continued to meet and exceed the physical challenge presented; their upper limits have yet to be determined. In general, it was concluded that the physical education curriculum is an effective component of the United States Military Academy's preparation of its women graduates to assume their role as Army officers and leaders. INDEX WORDS: Curriculum Evaluation, Physical Education Effectiveness, Impact S:udy, Participant Perception, United States Military Academy, United States Army Physical Fitness, Women in the Military, West Point Curriculum EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY IN PREPARING ITS WOMEN GRADUATES by MAUREEN KEENAN LEBOEUF B.S., St. Bonaventure University, 1976 A.Ed., The University of Georgia, 1986 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION ATHENS, GEORGIA 1994 1994 Maureen Keenan LeBoeuf All Rights Reserved EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY IN PREPARING ITS WOMEN GRADUATES by MAUREEN KEENAN LEBOEUF Approved: Major Professqr Approved: Dean of the Graduate School Date ,A/9 Date /- DEDICATION This research is dedicated to my family, far and near. To my parents, Leo E. Keenan, Jr. and Ann Finlay Keenan, dedicated educators, who taught me at an early age the value of an education. They also taught me that being a girl should not make a difference. Their love, prayers and words of encouragement meant more than they will ever know; To my eight brothers and sisters and their families whose phone calls, cards and letters served as a constant source of support and motivation. A special thanks to Dee Dee who always made me laugh and to my special angel for all of the prayers she sent in my direction; To Jay and Jackie my children, the sunshine in my life. They have had to deal with my pursuit of a doctorate first hand; evening classes, missed meals, and distractions on my part. The hugs, kisses and unconditional love of these two small people remind me on a daily basie what is truly important in life; To Joe, my husband, friend and partner in life, who listened, challenged and reassured me. He stood by me and supported me daily during this process; which at times seemed somewhat akin to a wild roller coaster ride. iv V So, it is to my family that this work is dedicated, because I could never have done it alone. Yes Joe, we did make the right choice! I . .... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people who assisted both directly and indirectly in the accomplishment of my work, to whom I must express my appreciation. First, my deepest gratitude must be offered to Dr. Ann E. Jewett, my major professor who started all of this by writing a letter of recommendation. She remained my advisor even after two years into her retirement. Her dedication and mentorship will always serve as a source of inspiration; To my :ommittee members Drs. Martie Washington, Marie Mullan, Margaret Holt, Genelle Morain, and Mary Lou Remley, whose guidance, advice and the time they gave to my work means a great deal to me; To the women graduates of the United States Military Academy from the classes of 1980, 1985, and 1990 who participated in this study. Their timeliness and candid responses resulted in a treasure lode of data; To my fellow graduate students who have tolerated me through this process. Especially Pamela Dunston and Kathleen Szuminski who listened patiently as I talked about my data and continued to keep in touch; vi vii To my typist, Donna Sanders, who was always patient and responsive. Through her technical expertise she helped me produce a wonderfully professional document; Finally, to my fellow researchers in the Curriculum and Instruction Lab, thanks for putting up with a soldier!
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