Engagement In Physical Education Research Articles

Engaging Middle School Students in Physical Education and Physical Activity Programs

With school-based physical activity emerging as a public health issue, it is more important than ever to understand what keeps children and adolescents interested and participating in physical education and physical activity. As the research on physical activity patterns indicates, the middle school years may be a watershed moment in the lives of students, where effective teaching and programs at school can limit or even reverse the trend toward disengagement from physical education and physical activity. The three middle school programs described in this feature show how outstanding teachers keep their students engaged as they begin the transition to high school and early adulthood. Using research-based principles of practice about mastery and student engagement, this article will revisit the program policies and teaching practices described in this feature, and identify elements that lead toward affective/emotional, behavioral and cogntive engagement in physical education and extracurricular sport and physical activity. Keeping these principles in mind may increase teachers' understanding of student engagement and help to create a culture of physical education and physical activity at school that is characterized by variety, inclusion, differentiation and respect for the social and personal development of students.

Perceived Autonomy Support and Behavioral Engagement in Physical Education: Comment on Yoo (2015).

The role of emotion as moderator of the relationships between perceived autonomy supportive behavior and autonomous motivation and between motivation and behavioral engagement in physical education are discussed.

Effects of an interdependent group contingency on engagement in physical education.

We examined whether a group contingency increased engagement during elementary school physical education sessions. The intervention employed procedures (explicit instruction, goal setting, and reinforcement) drawn from the first tier of classwide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT; Wills et al., 2009). Results showed salutary increases in engagement that corresponded with the teacher's implementation.

Finnish interpretations of Creative Physical Education

ABSTRACTWhen physical education (PE) teachers change their programs to incorporate something new, the process always involves some effort at interpretation and adaptation. The perceived benefits must outweigh the labour required to think through the possibilities and to then manage the political and logistical challenges that go hand in hand with achieving change of this magnitude. This paper tells the story of one such change process, which involved the interpretation by a small group of teachers in Finland of a set of pedagogical ideas and practices developed in Australia known as Creative Physical Education. The story involves a range of characters (including the authors) and conveys the struggles and successes experienced through the course of understanding and implementing something new, developed in a different country. Benefits accrue to this work, such as more creative thinking and a higher level of engagement in PE of a wider section of the student population, but they are only briefly mentioned in this paper, with the main focus being to convey and explain the program adaptations made, or not made.

Motivational Outcomes and Predictors of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Sedentary Time for Adolescents in the Sigue La Huella Intervention.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the multicomponent Sigue la Huella intervention on selected motivational outcomes and whether any of these outcomes, in addition to relevant socio-demographic, biological, and behavioral factors, served as predictors of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time among participants through the intervention. This quasi-experimental, cohort study took place in four secondary schools in Huesca (Spain) during three academic years (students aged 12-15 years). Two schools were assigned to the experimental condition (n = 368) and two schools to the control condition (n = 314). Outcome variables were assessed objectively. A total of 553 participants met study inclusion criteria. Compared to the control group, participants in the experimental group reported greater enjoyment of physical activity, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in physical education, perceived autonomy in physical education, perceived competence in physical education, and perceived importance of physical education over time. Participants in this group reported also lower amotivation in physical education over time. In subsequent analyses, gender, organized physical activity out of school, sedentary time, and perceived importance of physical education predicted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Type of school (public vs. private), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and perceived autonomy in physical education emerged as predictors of sedentary time. Sigue la Huella had a positive effect on motivational outcomes relevant to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, sedentary time, and, particularly, student engagement in physical education. The analyses identified shared and unique determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time, suggesting that specific intervention strategies may be required to address each outcome.

Relational perceptions in high school physical education: teacher- and peer-related predictors of female students' motivation, behavioral engagement, and social anxiety.

Although researchers have demonstrated the importance of interpersonal processes in school-based physical education (PE), there have been calls for further studies that account for multiple relational perspectives and provide a more holistic understanding of students’ relational perceptions. Guided by principles outlined within self-determination theory and the tripartite efficacy model, our aim was to explore the ways in which students’ perceptions about their teacher and classmates directly and/or indirectly predicted motivation, anxiety, and engagement in PE. A total of 374 female high-school students reported the extent to which their teachers and classmates independently (a) engaged in relatedness-supportive behaviors, (b) satisfied their need for relatedness, and (c) were confident in their ability in PE (i.e., relation-inferred self-efficacy). Students also rated their motivation and anxiety regarding PE, and teachers provided ratings of in-class behavioral engagement for each student. Analyses demonstrated support for the predictive properties of both teacher- and peer-focused perceptions. Students largely reported more positive motivational orientations when they held favorable perceptions regarding their teacher and peers, and autonomous motivation was in turn positively related to behavioral engagement ratings. These findings offer novel insight into the network of interpersonal appraisals that directly and indirectly underpins important in-class outcomes in PE.

Perceived Autonomy Support and Behavioral Engagement in Physical Education: A Conditional Process Model of Positive Emotion and Autonomous Motivation

A variety of theoretical perspectives describe the crucial behavioral roles of motivation and emotion, but how these interact with perceptions of social contexts and behaviors is less well understood. This study examined whether autonomous motivation mediated the relationship between perceived autonomy support and behavioral engagement in physical education and whether this mediating process was moderated by positive emotion. A sample of 592 Korean middle-school students (304 boys, 288 girls; M age = 14.0 yr., SD = 0.8) completed questionnaires. Autonomous motivation partially mediated the positive association between perceived autonomy support and behavioral engagement. Positive emotion moderated the relationship between autonomous motivation and behavioral engagement. This indirect link was stronger as positive emotion increased. These findings suggest the importance of integrating emotion into motivational processes to understand how and when perceived autonomy support is associated with behavioral engagement in physical education.

Strategies for Creating a Caring Learning Climate in Physical Education

Teacher–student interactions are at the core of the teaching–learning process. There is research evidence showing that a teacher's caring behavior is strongly related to students' attitudes and engagement in physical education (PE). This article discusses practical strategies that PE teachers can employ to create a caring learning environment, thus fostering students' engagement and learning outcomes in PE.

Relatedness-Supportive Learning Environment for Girls in Physical Education

The challenges and issues associated with girls’ disengagement from high school physical education are serious and long standing. This disengagement has provided the impetus for the examination of alternative strategies to facilitate girls’ engagement in physical education. The purpose of this paper is to share a range of gender-inclusive practices in physical education grounded in the concept of a relatedness-supportive learning environment. "Relatedness" is the feeling of being connected to others in a social context. In turn, "relatedness support" refers to the social environments in which individuals have the opportunity to develop healthy relationships with others.

What motives induce to choose Physical Education as an optative subject at Post-Compulsory Secondary Education 2nd grade?

Gomez-Marmol, A. (2014). What motives induce to choose Physical Education as an optative subject at Post-Compulsory Secondary Education 2nd grade?. J. Hum. Sport Exerc., 9(1), pp.103-110. Many Physical Education characteristics make it the axis of numerous researches, nevertheless, nowadays the information about what induces Post-Compulsory 1st grade students to the will of receiving Physical Education during their next grade is reduced. This research has designed an ad hoc questionnaire to gather this information through a 6 motives proposal; furthermore, it has also been analysed should this choice is conditioned by sociodemographic variables like sex, academic level and the level of physical activity practised assessed with Test Corto Krece Plus questionnaire. In order to that, 76 students of two public High Schools completed these two questionnaires in their respective educational centres. The attached results show that the two main marked motives are the leaning towards sports and Physical Education fun. Sex, as well as academic level and the level of physical activity practised are factors that significantly influence the motives that base this choice. Key words: PHYSICAL EDUCATION CHOICE, SCHOLAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION, PHYSICAL EDUCATION ENGAGEMENT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION OPINION

The Impact of Two Curricular Models on Motivation, Engagement and Achievement in Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to compare motivation, engagement and achievement in two teaching conditions; one focusing on a skill-drill-game approach, and the second using Sport Education. Forty high school students were randomly selected to participate in either a Sport Education season or a Skill-Drill-Game unit. Post intervention measures of student enjoyment/interest, effort/importance, perceived competence, and pressure/tension were obtained for both groups. A daily gauge of engagement was obtained through pedometry. A pre- and post- intervention measure of aerobic fitness was used to assess achievement. ANOVAs indicated a significant difference between groups for effort/importance (p= .012) and enjoyment/interest (p= .005), but not for pressure/tension (p= .762) or perceived competence (p= .218). Three separate one- way ANOVAs indicated that the SEM group took significantly more steps than the SDG group during the introduction and skill practice phase of the season/unit, during the preseason/modified games phase, and also during the regular season/game play phase. ANOVAs indicated a significant difference between groups on both engagement (p= .005) and aerobic fitness (p= .048). The results of this study provide initial, but cautious support for the notion that participation in Sport Education moves students towards more autonomous forms of motivation, which in turn results in greater levels of engagement in classes. The results support Sport Education as a viable curricular model for teachers in order to promote engagement in physical education. The challenge now is to plan studies that formally test this notion, and also use more sophisticated measures of engagement that use both the dimensions of active involvement as well as emotional intensity and effort.

체육수업 참여 동기화 과정에서 정서의 역할

체육수업 참여 동기화 과정에서 정서의 역할

An Application of the Expectancy-Value Model to Understand Adolescents’ Performance and Engagement in Physical Education

The study examined the role of motivation in students’ performance and engagement in elementary and middle school physical education. Cross-lagged relationships between performance and engagement were investigated across Grades 6–9. A total of 763 (365 girls, 398 boys) Finnish school students (11- to 12-year old) were followed across three years. Students’ expectancy beliefs, attainment, intrinsic interest, utility value, and effort were measured using self-report questionnaires, whereas grades were retrieved from the school records. The study showed expectancy beliefs and intrinsic interest values to explain performance, whereas attainment values for girls and intrinsic interest value for boys facilitated the engagement. Although girls and boys were differently motivated, these differences were stable across time. This study supports the utility of the Expectancy-Values Model as a framework to understand motivation. We recommend educators to facilitate students’ expectancy beliefs, importance, and intrinsic interest to increase students’ performance and engagement in school physical education.

“Now, I’m Magazine Detective the Whole Time”: Listening and Responding to Young People’s Complex Experiences of Popular Physical Culture

Popular physical culture serves as a site, subject and medium for young people’s learning (Sandford & Rich, 2006) and impacts their relationship with physical education, physical activity and the construction of their embodied identities. This paper addresses the potential of scrapbooking as a pedagogical and methodological tool to facilitate physical education researchers and teachers to listen to, and better understand and respond to extend students’ existing knowledge of, and critical engagement with popular physical culture. The data draws from a three year Participatory Action Research project that was undertaken in an urban, secondary school and was designed to engage 41 girls (aged 15–19) in understanding, critiquing and transforming aspects of their lives that influenced their perspectives of their bodies and their physical activity and physical education engagement. In this paper the focus is on the engagement of eleven of these girls in a five week popular physical culture unit. The students’ scrapbooks, audio-recordings of classes, a guided conversation, and field notes constitute the data sources. Findings suggest scrapbooking has the potential to allow researchers access, understand and respond to students’ perspectives on popular physical culture and their lives in a way that other methods may not. Pedagogically, scrapbooking supported students in critically appraising and making meaning of “scraps” of popular physical culture.

‘Every child (of every size) matters’ in physical education! Physical education's role in childhood obesity

The role of schools and physical education in promoting health, producing a ‘healthy nation’ and in tackling obesity has been increasingly recognised in recent years. In England this is evidenced by various policies, strategies and responses from government that have highlighted schools to be instrumental in addressing health broadly and obesity specifically. In addition, individual schools and teachers at the local level appear to be responding to the obesity issue in varied and different ways. However, we and other researchers feel that the discourse surrounding obesity and some of the reports, messages, policies and measures being taken to tackle it are misleading, misguided and could do more harm than good. At the same time, as physical educators committed to the health and development of young people, we feel unable to ignore the issue and compelled to act. We contend that ‘every child of every size matters’ and can benefit from regular engagement in physical education and physical activity and furthermore that, as a profession, we have a responsibility to provide all young people, of all sizes, with meaningful, relevant and positive physical education and physical activity experiences. Given this, we consider what role physical education can and should realistically, sensibly and safely play in addressing childhood overweight and obesity. Firstly, some of the key ‘facts’, issues and debates concerning obesity are explored and the way in which the issue appears to be being addressed in many schools is critiqued. We then briefly summarise some of the formal guidance and recommendations available to schools on obesity, before concluding with some practical recommendations to support physical education teachers in effectively engaging all children in physical activity both within and beyond physical education.

The Experiences of African American Physical Education Teacher Candidates at Secondary Urban Schools

Presently, most physical education teachers in the United States are White Americans and from middle class families. In fact, 83 % of all teachers in public schools are White Americans, whereas approximately 10 % of all African American teachers are representative of all teachers in the United States. A student might feel cultural dissonance that she or he is behaving appropriately based on the student’s cultural norm and upbringing, but the teachers who have different cultural and ethnic backgrounds than the students may inappropriately interpret or respond to the behavior. Therefore, it is important to study African American pre-service physical education teachers’ student teaching and field-based experiences with ethnically diverse adolescence (e.g., African American students), because they have the potential to develop a positive relationship between school support, teacher support, and academic achievement and influence student learning, motivation, and engagement in physical education. The purpose of this study was to describe and explain the experiences of African American physical education teacher education (PETE) candidates at secondary urban schools. The research design was explanatory multiple-case study situated in activity theory. Participants were seven African American PETE candidates. The qualitative data sources were interviews, weekly journal reflections, and e-portfolios. The results were (a) navigating power relationships between cooperative teachers and students, (b) a ‘shocking’ experience: Feeling under-prepared, and (c) encountered cultural normalcies and stereotypes in teaching physical education. PETE programs must better prepare teacher candidates for working in urban schools with greater cultural competence and higher self-efficacy.

Developing teachers’ health-related fitness knowledge through a community of practice

The purposes of this study were twofold: to examine the effects of a community of practice (CoP) on (1) physical educators’ and their students’ health-related fitness content knowledge and (2) the physical educators’ health-related fitness pedagogical content knowledge construction process. Twelve experienced physical education teachers (six in treatment, six in control group) and 278 of their students voluntarily participated in this study. Mixed method research with experimental pre–post design was used. Quantitative analysis of health-related fitness tests data used descriptive statistics, repeated measure ANOVAs and simple main effect analysis. Semi-structured post interviews with teachers and CoP facilitator, researcher field notes and audio taped and fully transcribed text of six week CoP represented the qualitative data sources that were analysed through Glaser and Strauss’ (1967) constant comparison approach. Results demonstrated that treatment group teachers and their students improved health-related fitness content knowledge from pre to post test ( p < 0.05). Findings indicated that teacher participation in a CoP changed their teaching practices and teaching culture by focusing on their students’ needs, increased their engagement in physical education and triggered continued learning toward personal professional needs. In conclusion, this study indicates that a CoP based on teachers’ specific needs increased their students’ learning and changed teachers’ teaching culture positively.

Students’ Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels and Engagement as a Function of Between-Class and Between-Student Differences in Motivation Toward Physical Education

Despite evidence for the utility of self-determination theory in physical education, few studies used objective indicators of physical activity and mapped out between-class, relative to between-student, differences in physical activity. This study investigated whether moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and rated collective engagement in physical education were associated with autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation at the between-class and between-student levels. Participants were 739 pupils (46.3% boys, Mage = 14.36 ±1.94) from 46 secondary school classes in Flanders (Belgium). Multilevel analyses indicated that 37% and 63% of the variance in MVPA was explained by between-student and between-class differences, respectively. Students' personal autonomous motivation related positively to MVPA. Average autonomous class motivation was positively related to between-class variation in MVPA and collective engagement. Average controlled class motivation and average class amotivation were negatively associated with collective engagement. The findings are discussed in light of self-determination theory's emphasis on quality of motivation.

Teacher Motivating Style, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, and Emotional Engagement in Physical Education: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Teacher Motivating Style, Psychological Needs Satisfaction, and Emotional Engagement in Physical Education: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Urban High-School Girls’ Sense of Relatedness and Their Engagement in Physical Education

A sense of relatedness is individuals’ views about themselves as connected to others and worthy of love and respect from others. Using the Self-System Model of Motivational Development as the framework, this study was designed to examine associations of urban high-school girls’ relatedness toward teachers and peers with their behavioral and emotional engagements in physical education. Participants (N = 184, ages 15–18) completed questionnaires assessing relevant psychological and behavioral constructs while their teachers also completed corresponding measures during classes. Regression analyses revealed that relatedness toward teachers and peers had direct and interactive roles in both behavioral and emotional engagements. Although relatedness to teachers was the most pronounced predictor, feeling related to peers might have an added effect for the students who did not feel connected. The findings support that nurturing quality relationships between and among both teachers and peers may hold promise for enhancing learning.