Physical Education Gym Class Heroes, Try-Hards, and All-Stars: An Analysis of Facebook Comments

This study inductively analyzed posts made on an existing participant-initiated open Facebook group page called “Dude, Calm Down…It’s Gym Class.” Following data retrieval, the first 25 days’ posts following the page’s inception were examined. Open coding was used as a method of identifying the content and curricular activities discussed within the page’s posts. The frequency of codes were determined with descriptive statistics, and post content was examined with the constant comparative method. Quantitative results showed that 1,882 of the 2,969 posts analyzed were coded as being made by males (63.3%), whereas 36.7% (n = 1,087) were coded as being made by females. Nearly half (49%) of the posts described participants’ own or their peers’ participation behaviors exhibited in physical education class. Of the 337 activity references, invasion games (n = 145, 43%) dodgeball (n = 72, 21.4%), and net/wall games (n = 69, 20.5%) were the most frequently mentioned. Qualitative analyses resulted in three major themes: student groups (Pro-Page—supported the page’s ideology; Anti-Page—did not support the page’s ideology; and Reasonables—could see the validity of both arguments), participation patterns (Overachievers, Underachievers), and Meanness (a general derogatory and negative nature of the posts). Results of this study support the need for further exploration of peer behavior as a potential influencer on student attitudes toward physical education.