Effects of grouping forms, student gender and ability level on the pleasure experienced in physical education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the main and interaction effects of grouping forms, student gender and ability level on the pleasure experienced in physical education (PE). The participants included 178 secondary school students (M = 13.17, SD = .81), with 72 students enrolled in a basketball unit and 106 students enrolled in an endurance unit. Seventy-eight students participated in PE in alternating groups (alternating ability-based and mixed ability groups), and 100 students participated in mixed ability classes. Pleasure was assessed using a validated French language 10-item scale. The results indicated a significant main effect of grouping forms on the pleasure experienced in the basketball unit and a small but nonsignificant effect for endurance. The students in the alternating groups felt more pleasure than those in the mixed ability classes. Considering the importance of pleasure in PE, the alternating groups appear to represent a good solution.