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I'd like you to shift gears and apply some critical thinking. This will help you not only understand the concepts we've discussed but also critically evaluate similar topics you might come across in the press, media, and other outlets—and, when it's relevant, apply this knowledge in real-world situations.

We've covered a lot of ground in this module, and I've shared quite a bit of information with you. Now, I'd like you to shift gears and apply some critical thinking. This will help you not only understand the concepts we've discussed but also critically evaluate similar topics you might come across in the press, media, and other outlets—and, when it's relevant, apply this knowledge in real-world situations.

Below, you'll find a selection of references. I encourage you to read the provided materials, and engage your critical thinking skills. Assess whether the information is credible and logical, or if perhaps it's too broadly generalized from studies conducted on different groups, such as other female age brackets or even men.

Then, expand the table below each reference to view my analysis and insights. This should help deepen your understanding of each reference and assist you in developing your own viewpoints.

Ultimately, I aim to equip you with the tools to critically assess any information you encounter, whether you see it, hear it, or read it. 

Enjoy

Critical Thinking Task 1

Link: Dads should talk about periods too!

Question: How does this blog resonate?

This is a cute opinion piece, written with humour, but really does hit the good points that dads talking to their girls about getting periods should not be taboo, but normal.

Critical Thinking Task 2

Link: Period trackers and Femtech

Question: With the rise in femtech, are period trackers the best way forward?

I keep finding articles and reading about the newest methods of tracking menstrual cycles; but I still caution using lots of tech to give insight into female health. With wearables and other femtech, the data being collected isn’t yours to own, but can be sold; and the algorithms are not fool-proof  yet. I caution on using these for younger women because of the irregularity of early menstrual cycles and the stigma that they may feel if they don’t fit into the “norm” of the algorithms. Not that tracking isn’t useful; far from it! But just have a bit of a pause when introducing tech like this to young, developing teens.

Critical Thinking Task 3

Link: Puberty, hormone changes, mental health

Question: Is it the pressure of sport, a toxic sport environment, or just pubertal hormones causing mental health issues in our  girls (or a combination of all?)

Psyche is similar to The Conversation, where academics write layperson articles in their area of expertise. This is a very good overview of the sociocultural and biological changes that impact mental health, but does not take the extra layer of sporting environments into consideration. This is all the more reason we need to ensure that we are promoting positive language, actions, and positivity into our coaching and sporting environments.