Quality Physical Education Research Articles

English

Physical literacy is a concept that is gaining greater acceptance around the world with the United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (2013) recognizing it as one of several central tenets in a quality physical education framework. However, previous attempts to understand progression in physical literacy learning have been limited to preexisting knowledge and psychosocial and physical assessment instruments and have been proved to be less than complete in the understanding of this construct. The aim of this article was to present a unique conceptual model of observed physical literacy and establish an assessment rubric on which future assessment protocols may be based. Seminal definitions of physical literacy and numerous models of physical education instruction were reviewed to establish common core elements of physical literacy. These core elements were then viewed through a Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy lens to establish an assessment rubric that may be applied to extend understanding of student learning within this construct. The established core elements of physical literacy and the application of the SOLO taxonomy provide a potentially useful tool for future assessment item development.

<b>Promoting Quality Physical Education in Korea: </b>

There have been strong initiatives to improve school physical education (PE) in Korea over the last decade. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of efforts to improve school PE in Korea. The efforts to improve school PE have been pursued by strengthening regular PE classes as well as activating school sport clubs (SSCs) during after-school hours and weekends. First, the national curriculum of physical education (NCPE) which was revised in 2011 is characterized by teaching physical activity values (i.e., health, challenge, competition, expression, and leisure), creativity and character, and teaching life skills as well as physical skills (Ministry of Education, 2011). Promoting children’s healthy and active lifestyle was one of the crucial goals of the NCPE. The changing forces of society such as emphasis on children’s social development due to increase in school violence and violence-related student suicide worked as opportunity to strengthen the status of PE within school curriculum. Therefore, the PE classes have increased from 3 to 4 hours per week (including one hour of school sport club activity) in middle school, and the new employment of PE teachers has been increased last five years. Another approach to improve school PE has been pursued by activating school sport club (SSC) and beforeand after-school physical activity programs. The presentation will deal with what factors were influencing promoting SSCs in Korea and how they impacted on students’ health, education, and sport skill improvement (Choi, Ahn, & Lee, 2014). Specifically, the current implementation status of SSCs in Korea and students and teachers’ perceptions of the SSCs will be shared. In addition, evaluation studies on the impact of SSC participation on students’ positive youth developmental construct will be shared (Fraser-Thomas, Cote, & Deakin, 2005). Finally, the presentation will be concluded by sharing achievement and challenges for the decade and provide future directions for research and practice.

Early childhood educators’ experience of an alternative physical education model

Alternative instructional and curricular models are regarded as more comprehensive and suitable approaches to providing quality physical education (Kulinna 2008; Lund and Tannehill 2010; McKenzie and Kahan 2008; Metzler 2011; Quay and Peters 2008). The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of the Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum (ESPEC) on the professional lives of early educators and what impact they thought it had on their students’ lives. This study, which was a part of a larger research project, was undertaken to deepen our knowledge of early childhood educators’ perspectives and experiences of physical education. In purpose of this study, the participants were four Cypriot preschool teachers who were responsible for teaching physical education to those students participating in the Early Steps’ Project and were trained in how to implement the ESPEC. Data were collected through formal interviews and analysed inductively via individual-case and cross-case analysis (Patton 2001). Results indicated that all participants enriched both their content and pedagogical knowledge. According to them, the implementation of the model facilitated their ability to design and deliver more meaningful experiences to their students. All four teachers pointed out that their participation in the programme helped their interpersonal relationships with the other early educators in their schools. According to these teachers, the ESPEC model benefited students. Findings indicated that the children's level of interest and enthusiasm during physical education lessons increased. In addition, the participants stated that during the implementation of the programme their students learned to communicate and cooperate with each other in a more meaningful way. Implications for preparing early childhood educators to teach quality physical education are discussed in light of the results.

Chapter 9 Students’ Daily Physical Activity Behaviors: The Role of Quality Physical Education in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of quality physical education (QPET) in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) which is intended to promote physical activity (PA) behaviors in and outside of schools. Participants were nine elementary physical education teachers and their fourth- and fifth-grade students (n = 1111) in year one, n = 1012 in year 2). The student’s daily PA minutes were assessed using a 7-day PA log. The PE teachers’ levels of QPET were assessed by coding 63 videotaped lessons (Mlessons/teacher = 7.03, SD = .74) using the Assessing Quality Teaching rubrics (AQTR), which consisted of four essential dimensions including Task Design, Task Presentation, Class Management, and Instructional Response. Codes were confirmed through interrater reliability (82.4%, 84.5%, 94%). Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, multiple R-squared regression models, and independent sample t tests. The results indicated that the overall QPET practices (R = .126, R2 = .02, F = 32.387, Sig.= .000, P < .01) and all four essential dimensions (R = .127, R2 = .02, F = 8.560, Sig.= .000, P < .01) were significant contributors to students’ student daily PA behaviors. These predictors were significantly higher in girls (R = .157, R2 = .03, F = 6.15, Sig.= .000, P < .01) than boys (R = .113, R2 = .01, F = 3.57, Sig.= .007, P < .01). The Instructional Response was a significant predictor of PA among girls (β = .12, t = 2,068, Sig. = .039, P < .05 level), but not boys. Further, students’ who experienced high QPET were significantly more physically active than those students who did not have this experience (t = 4.334, df = 2089, Sig. = .000, P < .01). It was concluded that the QPET practices played a critical role in promoting students’ daily PA engagement in and outside of schools.

A Descriptive Profile of Physical Education Teachers and Programs in Atlantic Canada

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which quality physical education is currently being taught in Atlantic Canada. We used survey methods to generate descriptive data indicating: (a) the backgrounds of those who teach physical education and (b) what is being taught in physical education. Our findings suggest physical education is taught by a group of mostly-white teachers with varying qualifications, interests, and experiences in teaching the subject. Further, sport experiences tend to dominate the subject matter that students engage with, at the expense of dance and gymnastics. Although some physical education programs could arguably be classified as being of a sound quality according to the national subject association, we contend that more needs to be done to present the subject as a diverse enterprise, both in terms of who teaches and what is taught in physical education.

Physical literacy and Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs

ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to make a case for Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) to be the organizational framework for providing physical activity opportunities for children that is most likely to result in physical literacy. MethodBeginning in 2010, the authors used multiple search engines to ascertain the existent literature surrounding physical literacy and physical activity interventions to identify common approaches to providing physically activity in and around school. Grounded in the Health Belief Model and the idea that physical literacy is a desired outcome of physical education, publications focused on each of the components of the CSPAP were synthesized to describe evidence-based practice. ResultsThere is adequate evidence to suggest that quality physical education, before/after school, during school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement can serve as logical points of intervention to provide increased opportunities for physical activity participation leading to physical literacy among children. ConclusionsSince only 6% of all children participate in daily physical education classes and only six states offer K-12 physical education, the implementation of CSPAP may be the most logical avenue for providing greater opportunities for physical activity engagement that fosters physical literacy as a health-oriented educational goal.

Non-Traditional Muscular Strength and Endurance Activities for Elementary and Middle School Children

Over the past decade many muscular strength and endurance routines have been introduced to children and adults toward improving overall health and fitness. When performed correctly, there are countless benefits to performing weight bearing resistance-type exercises to develop the upper, lower, and core areas of the body. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 2004) has indicated that quality physical education programs must address and require students to participate in muscular strength and endurance activities on a regular basis. In a time when many schools are currently experiencing significant budgetary cuts and/or restrictions, physical educators have come upon a challenging era to provide or replace various types of exercise equipment targeting muscular strength and endurance. The purpose of this article is to provide low-cost or no-cost exercises using milk jugs, surgical tubing, and playground apparatus that will improve muscular strength and endurance for elementary-age and middle school-age children. Specifically, 20 examples of muscular strength and endurance exercises are provided, targeting improved personal health. All activities within the article align with Standards 3 and 4 of a quality physical education program, as indicated by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE, 2004).

How Students with Visual Impairments Can Learn Components of the Expanded Core Curriculum through Physical Education

Research indicates that children with visual impairments demonstrate delays in fundamental motor skills, including locomotor, object control, and balance skills (Haibach, Lieberman, & Pritchett, 2011; Houwen, Hartman, & Visscher, 2010; Wagner, Haibach, & Lieberman, 2013). All of these skills are prerequisites to living an independent and successful life. It has been demonstrated that motor activity and balance programs show that significant improvements in these areas are possible (Aki, Turan, & Kayihan, 2007; Jazi, Purrajabi, Movahedi, & Jalali, 2012). Through quality physical education programs, students with visual impairments can develop the fundamental skills needed to maintain a physically active and healthy lifestyle. According to the IDEIA (2004), physical education is required for all students who qualify for special education. Acquiring skills and engaging in physical activity can increase many important life skills, including components of the expanded core curriculum (ECC). The field of education has instituted a curricular approach to ensure that children with visual impairments receive the education they need in addition to their core courses. The goal of this approach, the ECC (Sapp & Hatlen, 2010), is for children with visual impairments to leave school with the necessary skills to be independent and self-determined adults. Physical education programs can contribute significantly to instruction of the nine components of the ECC if implemented correctly (Sapp & Hatlen, 2010). Physical education teachers who include meaningful physical activity opportunities in their classes can address recreation as well as all of the other areas, including social skills, orientation and mobility (O&M), self-determination, technology, activities of daily living, and independence (Sapp & Hatlen, 2010). The purpose of the article presented here is to discuss ways in which physical education can contribute to the ECC. It must be understood that in order for physical education teachers to be able to infuse ECC components into physical education classes, it is imperative for them to work in collaboration with other professionals, such as teachers of students with visual impairments and O&M instructors. Teachers of students with visual impairments need to provide access to the curriculum in general education classes, teach ECC areas, and collaborate with physical education teachers. Therefore, it is the intent of this article to provide suggestions to administrators, teachers of students with visual impairments, O&M instructors, and physical education teachers on how to work together to teach the ECC curriculum in all areas of their schools. The article presented here will provide strategies that will foster collaboration among these professionals when teaching the ECC curriculum. COMPONENTS OF THE ECC The ECC provides an instructional framework for students with visual impairments to be successful in school, the community, and the workplace (Sapp & Hatlen, 2010). The components of the ECC are typically learned incidentally by sighted children through observing role models visually (Lohmeier, Blankenship, & Hatlen, 2009). Students who have significant visual impairments must be taught these components with direct instruction. These components are: (1) compensatory or access skills, (2) O&M skills, (3) social interaction skills, (4) independent living skills, (5) recreational and leisure skills, (6) career education, (7) use of assistive technology, (8) sensory efficiency skills, and (9) self-determination skills. According to Sapp and Hatlen (2010), ECC components should be taught by certified teachers of students with visual impairments and O&M specialists. Yet teachers of students with visual impairments spend the majority of their time on academics, teaching communication skills, and tutoring (Wolffe et al., 2002). Further, the level and amount of instructional time spent on ECC components are not as intense as one may anticipate (Wolffe et al. …

Overcoming Marginalization of Physical Education in America's Schools with Professional Learning Communities

In an era of high-stakes educational reform, physical education has been marginalized and deemed to be academically irrelevant. However, research has shown that quality physical education makes a vital and unique contribution to students' education and that healthy children learn better. Unfortunately, this message gets lost because it often comes from a lone voice, a teacher on the periphery, laboring in isolation — the physical education teacher. For the past decade, teachers from all disciplines have been joining together in professional learning communities (PLC) with the specific goal of promoting a focus on learning rather than teaching, promoting best practices, and collaborating in professional development. This article describes what a PLC is and how it can be used to overcome the conditions, forces, and barriers that have marginalized physical education.

Play, Games and Cognitive Development: Late Nineteenth-Century and Early Twentieth-Century Physicians, Neurologists, Psychologists and Others Already Knew What Researchers Are Proclaiming Today

‘Exercise and Children’s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement’, which appeared in the Educational Psychology Review in 2008, is only one of a growing number of recent studies that support the assertion that physical activity is important for cognitive development. Most people today are probably unaware that more than 100 years ago, numerous physicians, neurologists, psychologists and physical educators already knew this. In 1876 neurologist James J. Putman (who had studied in England with the noted neurologist John Hughlings Jackson) had advocated the initiation of public school physical education. At the same American Social Science Association meeting physician David F. Lincoln stated that both manual training (the more ‘applied’ form of motor activity) and gymnastics (the ‘more pure kinetic’ form) are essential parts of a child’s education. Many of their contemporaries expressed similar views. One of these was the noted turn-of-the century psychologist G. Stanley Hall, who wrote often about the importance of play, games and educationally oriented sports for both physical health and neurological development. Others understood the importance of creating the school-based and community programmes that were needed to make what researchers were finding – and asserting – a reality. Physical education was increasingly made part of the curriculum. By 1904 most of the more than 100 ‘settlement houses’ in the USA included recreational and sports programmes for children, youth and often adults. Following its founding in 1906, the Playground Association of America became a major force in extending such work. By the 1920s, the needed programmes had grown extensively. As Michael O’Shea (a professor at the University of Wisconsin) reasserted in his 1924 book The Child: His Nature and His Needs, well-designed programs are needed to put “words” (the findings of research) into practice. Beginning in the 1970s these needed programs, which had existed in the USA for more than 50 years, began a sharp decline. By 2006, at the same time that many research articles were appearing that supported daily physical education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that only about 30% of boys and girls were attending such classes. Books such as educational psychologist Jane Healy’s Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think and What To Do About It (1990) already had cautioned readers about the negative effects of such things as scripted teaching, which would infect the curriculum following the enactment of the well-intended, but poorly conceived, ‘The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001’. Perhaps it is not surprising that recently a growing number of books, articles and Internet postings have been calling for the restitution of quality physical education and community recreational programs. This article investigates these and related matters.

Moving to the Beat: From Zumba to Hip-Hop Hoedown

The importance of regular moderately intense exercise for overall wellness has been well documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reductions in obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis, and increased brain function can be achieved by being active throughout life. Quality physical education, as part of a K-12 comprehensive curriculum, can achieve important objectives and outcomes in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Dance is an activity that can contribute toward meeting these learning goals. This article highlights a more traditional aerobic dance activity, Zumba, as well as two ideas for making traditional dance more contemporary for today's youth.

Student Learning and Motivation in Physical Education

In a previous Advocacy in Action article, Richards and Wilson (2012) discussed quality physical education (PE) as a precursor to advocacy. It was argued that, before PE teachers can be effective advocates, they must first develop a high-quality PE program for which to advocate. This article extends the points made by Richards and Wilson by arguing that, in addition to being standards-based, a high-quality PE program should promote a student-centered learning environment.

Health-Related Fitness Models in Physical Education

Physical education has been an integral part of the school curriculum for more than a century. Although the focus has changed over time, the major objective has remained relatively constant: to provide students with the knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and confidence to be physically active throughout their lifetime. As more physical educators are interested in providing students with a curriculum that will develop active and healthy behaviors for life, this article will empower teachers to understand the differences between three health-related fitness models and provide an example of how to combine them into a quality physical education program.

Building a Community of Collaborative Inquiry: A Pathway to Re-imagining Practice in Health and Physical Education

On-going critiques of existing practices in schools focus on the ability of generalist teachers to deliver quality Health and Physical Education (HPE) in the primary sector. As well, there are concerns regarding the influx of outsider providers in school spaces and the potentially damaging body pedagogies and practices that are pervading education settings. We are interested in how these issues contour teachers’ practice, what this might mean for diverse learners in schools, and what processes support classroom teachers to re-imagine and practice HPE in ways that celebrate and meet the varied needs of students. In this paper we draw from a collaborative ethnographic action research project with four primary school teachers and three university lecturers. In particular, we explore the pathway that supported both academics and teachers to re-imagine HPE in two primary schools in Aotearoa-New Zealand. We direct attention to three key processes: the importance of identifying teachers’ and students’ preconceptions of HPE and the pedagogies employed; the need for ongoing, critical dialogue and questioning about current orthodoxies and classroom practices; and the momentum provided by the enunciation of a shared ethos or philosophy of HPE. These are proposed to have been fundamental to our subsequent endeavours to re-imagine classroom HPE in ways that met the needs of diverse learners. We conclude that innovative, inclusive programmes and practices in HPE are possible when teachers and researchers work collaboratively, and teachers increasingly ‘drive’ both the research and the change process in their own classrooms.

Perspectives of Physical Education Specialists who Teach in Large Class Settings

Perspectives of Physical Education Specialists who Teach in Large Class Settings Dr. Michael K. Gross, Dr. Alice M. Buchanan Abstract This paper examines the perspectives of eight elementary physical education specialists who teach children’s physical education in classes with large student: teacher ratios. The physical education specialists taught classes with student: teacher ratios of up to 54:1 per class. Interviews were conducted with each physical education specialist. The questions were written to inquire about specific variables that effect elementary physical education: biggest issue faced when teaching, delivering daily quality physical education, class management time, adequate equipment, safe learning environment, learning opportunities, adequate opportunity for moderate to vigorous physical activity, class size ratios, administrator attitudes toward physical education and class sizes, professional consideration from peers, discouraging issues, and promising things that kept them going. Results indicated that large class sizes interfered with their ability to offer quality physical education programs to children. The physical educator specialists indicated that they, as well as their profession, were marginalized by others’ attitudes. In spite of teaching environments that include large class sizes, lack of administrative support, peer apathy toward physical education as a legitimate academic discipline, and insufficient equipment to provide maximum participation for all students, the participants in this study were driven by a desire to see their students excel and develop a positive attitude toward physical activity. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/jpesm.v1n2a5

Impact of the Boston Active School Day Policy to Promote Physical Activity among Children

To test effectiveness of Active School Day policy implementation on physical activity outcomes and estimate school-level implementation costs. The design of the study was quasi-experimental (pretest-posttest matched controls). The study took place in six elementary schools with three matched pairs in Boston, Massachusetts, February to June 2011. Subjects were 455 consenting fourth- and fifth-grade students among 467 eligible. Active School Day policy implementation provided equipment, curricular materials, and training to physical educators and school wellness champions to promote 150 weekly minutes of quality physical education, recess, and physical activity integrated into classrooms. Accelerometer assessments of accumulated minutes and bouts of moderate, vigorous, and sedentary physical activity on 5 school days before and after implementation were used. Implementation costs were collected by record review and reported resource utilization. Analysis was conducted using multivariate mixed models estimated with repeated measures of daily physical activity, adjusted for student demographics and other confounding and design/clustering variables. Accelerometer data were provided by 201 intervention and 192 comparison students for an average of 4 days per period (84% response). During school time, students in intervention schools demonstrated greater increases in minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-6.0; p < .001) and vigorous physical activity (1.8, 95% CI .7-3.0; p < .001), and greater decreases in minutes per day of sedentary time (-10.6, 95% CI -15.3- -5.8; p < .001) than controls. Ongoing annual implementation costs totaled $4,523/school ($14/student). Active School Day implementation increased student moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels by 24% and decreased sedentary time during school at modest cost.

Using Photovoice to Determine Preservice Teachers' Preparedness to Teach

One of the major goals of any physical education teacher education (PETE) program is to adequately prepare preservice teachers to provide quality physical education instruction. Assessment is vital for the success of any program and should be completed on a regular basis. Borrowing from a successful tool in community health practice, the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) could be a viable option for assessing preservice teachers' perceptions of the program. One assessment methodology commonly used in CBPR is Photovoice, a technique that uses photography to promote dialogue among community members to instigate change. Photovoice has been used in a variety of settings but has not yet been applied to PETE programs. This article introduces Photovoice as a technique for better understanding the preservice teachers' level of preparedness in teaching, as well as their perceptions of the PETE program.

Understanding the Realities of School Life: Recommendations for the Preparation of Physical Education Teachers

While quality physical education teacher education requires recruits to be trained in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for effective teaching, research stemming from socialization theory and role theory indicates that this may not be adequate. Pre-service teachers also need to be made aware of organizational challenges they will face when transitioning into their first teaching position. These challenges stem from the ways in which recruits are socialized into physical education, and are related to the complex, sociopolitical structure of schooling. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the organizational challenges faced by beginning physical education teachers and to present recommendations for how teacher training programs can better prepare pre-service teachers to meet these challenges. The discussion includes both general and specific strategies that can be implemented to provide pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their ability to navigate life in the sociopolitical contexts of schools. Preparing students for the realities of school life should correspond with a decrease in reality shock and the washout effect.

Team-teaching in physical education for promoting coordinative motor skills in children: the more you invest the more you get

Background: Standard physical education (PE) programs and the team-teaching methodology have rarely been evaluated to investigate their real efficacy in changing children's motor skills.Aims: The aims of this study are two-fold: The first aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of a PE program for improving coordinative motor skills in the team games of primary school-age children. The second aim is to investigate whether the program is or is not more effective when we employed team-teaching with two, instead of one, instructors.Participants and setting: Participants were 205 normally developing children (48% male and 52% female) attending the third grade of a primary school in northwestern Italy. For the control group taught by their usual teacher, the mean age was 8.65 years (SD = 0.46); for the experimental group with one qualified PE instructor, the mean age was 8.63 years (SD = 0.48); and for the experimental group with two qualified instructors, the mean age was 8.95 years (SD = 0.52).Data collection and data analysis: Baseline and post-test measurements were collected using the Coordinative Motor Skills Scale. The repeated measures analysis of variance was used for investigating the effects of the PE program on the children's motor skills.Findings: The findings showed that our PE program increased the children's coordinative motor skills in team games. Also, their coordinative motor skills increased more in the experimental conditions with two instructors than in the scenario with only one instructor.Conclusion: These results underline the importance of structured programs of PE implemented by experienced instructors in order to increase coordinative motor skills in team games during a sensitive growth period of childhood development.

Influence of negotiations between preservice teachers and pupils on instruction within multi-activity and sport education units

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of negotiations between pupils and preservice teachers (PTs) on PTs' instruction within multi-activity (MA) teaching and sport education (SE). Participants were 17 PTs engaged in a secondary early field experience in which they taught 12-lesson MA and SE soccer units. Data were collected using six qualitative techniques and analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. Pupils initiated negotiations aimed at securing changes in instructional tasks and a reduction in standards of performance for those tasks. PTs initiated negotiations aimed at securing compliance with instructional and managerial tasks. During MA instruction, negotiations were relatively negative and common, increased as the unit progressed and adversely influenced the effectiveness of 11 PTs' pedagogies. During SE instruction, negotiations were relatively positive and infrequent, declined as the season progressed and enabled PTs to deliver good quality physical education.