Physical Education Training Research Articles

Physical Activity Practices in Elementary Schools and Associations With Physical Education Staffing and Training

Purpose: Authorities recommend that schools provide a variety of opportunities for students to obtain physical activity (PA) before, during, and after school. This study assessed the prevalence of several school PA practices—including measures of quantity and quality of physical education (PE)—in elementary schools and examined the associations of PA practices with school resources (PE staffing, training, and facilities). Method: Surveys were obtained from respondents in nationally representative samples of elementary schools from 2009–2010 to 2011–2012 (1,831 schools). Results: Few schools (20.8%) provided students with PE class every day, but most (76.3%) had an appropriate PE student-to-teacher ratio ( ≤ 25:1). Many schools (74.0%) offered 20 min of recess daily, but fewer than half offered organized opportunities for PA before or after school (e.g., sports). After controlling for demographics and school size, having a full-time PE teacher and requiring PE teachers to obtain PE-related continuing education (CE) were associated with PE practices such as offering ≥ 150 min of PE per week (for 3rd-grade students) and testing PE knowledge, skills, and fitness. Required CE was also associated with a higher likelihood of offering PA during the school day (i.e., activity breaks and PA outside of PE class) and before or after the school day (i.e., afterschool PA programs). Conclusion: Few schools offer a broad array of PA programming. However, PE staffing and CE are positively associated with many PA practices including those outside of PE, possibly indicating that PE staff serve a crucial role in promoting a whole-school PA-supportive environment.

Go for gold? – A badge for encouraging a lifetime of physical activity

Introduction In 2013, the badge “Deutsches Sportabzeichen” was introduced with a totally renewed concept: Based on the four fundamental skills, stamina, rapidity, strength and coordination, there are different tasks for people from 6 years onwards to 70+, each demand is offered on the three different levels, gold, silver and bronze. The idea of the unisex badge is to find out what your individual physical and psychological capacity is like at the moment. Based on the requirements in artistic gymnastics – as one out of four sports offered in the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (DSA) – this paper will point out the chances of integrating the badge into primary school education. Experience Up to now, primary school teachers use the badge to test physical activity of their pupils. The teachers as well as the children go for gold only. However, they forget about long-time preparation as an important way to gain success. Critical analysis The badge is a useful tool to integrate into primary school education. However, most of the German teachers in primary school are not trained in physical education. If you give them a course, all of a sudden they love the badge and see the benefits to use it even at school, e.g. possible differentiation, special tasks in the age-groups 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, front-line experiences, critically remarks, chances for the teachers and self-assessment for the pupils. Conclusions To publish a badge is the first step that has to be followed by a concept of learning that can be understood even by teachers/people without any special training in physical education. If we want to foster fundamental skills, we have to show why they are fundamental life-long. One way could be through own physical experience of the teacher.

On the Emotion Regulation in the Training of Physical Education

Emotion is a kind of inner feeling on the surrounding objective things and phenomenon. In the physical education training, it is often the case that students will do effective exercise easily and have clear concept and learn quickly if they are with high spirits and in good mood during the training. In contrast, a negative emotional state will significantly affect and delay the completion of an action, or even cause a sports injury. The results show that the effective regulation of students' emotion in the sports can improve the students’ interest in learning, stimulate their curiosity and pleasant emotional experience. The effect of positive or negative emotion in the training of physical education is very obvious. Therefore, emotion has a great influence on the teaching effect.

Research on the Model of Sports Action Features Based on the Computer Image Processing and Multimedia Databases Technology

As we all known, the physical education and sports training are inseparable from the sports action, and the standardization of action is the key to raise the standard of sports. Meantime, in the scientific training process, the analysis and comparison of technical movements’ morphology are essential. And traditional motion analysis technology uses high-speed photography and video image analysis, which cannot accurately determine the action features, therefore cannot meet the needs of quantitative analysis and morphological analysis. In this paper, using the computer image processing and multimedia databases and other computer technology to do quantitative research on sports action characteristics, and establishing the motion feature model, all these will provide a scientific basis and action paradigm for sports teaching and training.

Chapter 4 Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Characteristics of Trained Teachers

As public health concerns about physical inactivity and childhood obesity continue to rise, researchers are calling for interventions that comprehensively lead to more opportunities to participate in physical activity (PA). The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics and attitudes of trained physical education teachers during the implementation of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program at the elementary level. Using a collective case study design, interviews, observations, field notes, open-ended survey questions, and an online forum monitoring guided the interpretation of teacher perceptions and development of emergent themes. Qualitative data analysis was conducted for each individual teacher and then across the ten teachers which produced four major themes: (a) Leading the Charge: Ready, Set, Go!, (b) Adoption versus Adaptation: Implementation Varies, (c) Social Media’s Place in the Professional Development (PD) Community, and (d) Keys to Successful Implementation. It can be concluded that, based on these findings, elementary physical education teachers are ready and willing to implement CSPAP. Key factors that may influence this implementation are discussed.

Case Study of a School-Based Universal Dating Violence Prevention Program

Evaluation of universal dating violence prevention programs has rapidly expanded in the past two decades. Many programs demonstrate change in attitudes supportive of dating violence, and a few show evidence of behavior change; however, detailed analysis of process and fidelity of program implementation is generally neglected. An important goal of prevention research is to identify successful initiatives that can be replicated and disseminated in the field. The purpose of the current case study is to document the implementation process of a middle school–based dating violence prevention curriculum in economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. Particular attention is given to the school context, such as the process of school and teacher recruitment, the program model, and classroom implementation of the dating violence prevention program in four areas: teacher training, student outcomes, program fidelity, and student engagement. Nine health and physical education teachers from six urban middle schools participated. Results describe effective strategies to secure school participation and engagement, and provide evidence regarding methods to train health and physical education teachers in low-income, urban neighborhoods. Furthermore, classroom observations demonstrate that teachers successfully implemented the five-lesson curriculum, which resulted in positive student outcomes to prevent dating violence. This case study represents an important step in deepening our understanding of the mechanisms of program delivery.

Motives for Young People to Participate in Physical Education and Sports Training

Motives for Young People to Participate in Physical Education and Sports Training. The article discusses the motivation of students to regular physical training and sports. The study is based on specially designed questionnaire identified the main factors preventing the necessary physical activity of young people. The survey involved students from various universities in Yerevan. Analysis of the results allowed to identify the main factors influencing the formation of students' motivation to engage in physical education and recreational sport.

Tobacco cessation counseling training in US entry-level physical therapist education curricula: prevalence, content, and associated factors.

The US Public Health Service (USPHS) recommends tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) training for all health care professionals. Within physical therapist practice, smoking can have adverse effects on treatment outcomes in all body systems. In addition, people with physical disabilities have a higher smoking prevalence than the general population, creating a strong need for tobacco cessation among physical therapy clientele. Therefore, TCC training is an important component of entry-level physical therapist education. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine need for TCC training within entry-level physical therapist education and (2) to identify potential barriers to implementation of USPHS guidelines in the academic environment. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. Directors or academic coordinators of clinical education from entry-level physical therapist programs (N=204) were surveyed using an online instrument designed specifically for this study. Data regarding program and faculty characteristics, tobacco-related training content, and faculty opinions toward TCC in both physical therapist practice and education were analyzed descriptively. The response rate was 71%. A majority (60%) of programs indicated inclusion of tobacco-related training, most commonly 1 to 2 hours in duration, and of these programs, 40% trained students in the implementation of USPHS clinical guidelines for TCC. Data analyses were constrained by limited or missing data in some areas. A single faculty member completed the survey for each program. There is a need for TCC training in entry-level physical therapist education. Inclusion may be facilitated by addressing perceived barriers toward TCC as a component of physical therapist practice and promoting the relevance of TCC as it relates to intended outcomes of physical therapy interventions.

Physical education and sports in higher educational institutions

The collection presents articles on the problems of constructing sports training, theoretical, methodological, medical, biological, psychological and pedagogical problems of physical education and sports, rehabilitation and physical therapy, theoretical and methodological bases for the development and improvement of technologies for maintaining health by means of physical culture and sports and physical therapy.
 For postgraduate students, doctoral students, masters, coaches, athletes, physical therapists, rehabilitologists, teachers of secondary schools, teachers of secondary schools.

La voz del profesorado de educación física sobre su formación académica ante la realidad multicultural: análisis de la situación y propuestas de mejora.

This paper analyzes the initial and continuing training of Physical Education (PE) Teacher's on intercultural issues and provides some guidelines for improving the professional training of future teachers in a multicultural context. From the review of Spanish and international literature about training proposals, here also reflects the voice of experienced teachers in schools with high cultural diversity. Their reflections on their academic training as well as proposed changes to improve training preparation, allows us to establish the main aspects that should reflect an initial training program that aims to tackle an intercultural PE.

Do Active-Learning Strategies Improve Students’ Critical Thinking?

Improving students’ ability to recognize work-related problems and apply effective strategies and solutions to fundamental challenges in the field is at the crux of a good college preparation. This paper attempts to investigate if active-learning strategies improve students’ critical thinking ability in this regard. Participants were pre-service teachers in physical education and athletic training education taking a teaching methods service-learning course. Findings showed significant improvement with critical thinking measures across both quasi experimental conditions. As a result, gains were largely attributed to the service-learning field component common to both conditions. Furthermore, academic tracking showed students pursuing a B.A. in physical education benefitted significantly more from the active-learning assessment than students pursuing a B.S. in athletic training. The paper also discusses how the active-learning sequence was a preferred method of instruction and how these strategies were purposeful with problematizing teaching situations and engaging students with course content. This paper may draw interest from educators who are research-minded and eager to apply critical thinking approaches in a learning environment.

Heart rate response and fitness effects of various types of physical education for 8- to 9-year-old schoolchildren

The present study investigated the heart rate (HR) response to various types of physical education (PE) activities for 8- to 9-year-olds (five school classes, n = 93) and the fitness effects of a short-term PE training programme (three of the five classes, n = 59) with high compared to low-to-moderate aerobic intensity. HR was recorded during small-sided indoor soccer (SO), basketball (BB), unihockey (UH), circuit training (CT), walking (W) and Nintendo Wii Boxing (NWB) and Nintendo Wii Tennis (NWT). Maximal HR (HRmax) and physical fitness was determined by the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 Children's test (YYIR1C) test. Following cluster randomisation, three classes were tested before and after 6 wks with 2 × 30 min/wk SO and UH lessons [high-intensity (HI), 2 classes, n = 39] or low-to-moderate intensity PE lessons (CON, 1 class, n = 20). Average HR in SO (76 ± 1% HRmax), BA (77 ± 1% HRmax) and UH (74 ± 1% HRmax) was higher (P < 0.05) than in CT (62 ± 1% HRmax), W (57 ± 1% HRmax), NWB (65 ± 2% HRmax) and NWT (57 ± 1% HRmax). Time with HR > 80% and 90% HRmax, respectively, was higher (P < 0.05) in SO (42 ± 4 and 12 ± 2%), BB (41 ± 5 and 13 ± 3%) and UH (34 ± 3 and 9 ± 2%) than in CT, W and NW (0–5%), with time >80% HRmax being higher (P < 0.05) in SO than UH. After 6 wk, YYIR1C performance was increased (P < 0.05) by 22% in HI (673 ± 57 to 821 ± 71 m), but unaltered in CON (674 ± 88 to 568 ± 81 m). HR 2 min into YYIR1C was lowered (P < 0.05) in HI after 6 wks (92.4 ± 0.8 to 89.1 ± 0.9% HRmax), but not in CON. In conclusion, ball games elicited high aerobic loading for young schoolchildren and a short-term, low-volume ball game PE-intervention improved physical fitness. Traditional PE sessions had no effects on intermittent exercise performance.

Physical Therapy Entry-level Education and Post-professional Training in Saudi Arabia: A Comparison of Perceptions of Physical Therapists from Five Regions

[Purpose] The goal of this study was to examine potential differences in physical therapists’ perceptions of content areas for the new entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curricula and specialties for post-graduate residency and fellowship programs among five geographical regions in Saudi Arabia. [Subjects and Methods] All physical therapists in Saudi Arabia were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study, which was conducted via a web-based survey. The first domain queried the importance of introducing 10 content areas into future DPT curricula. The second domain concerned the importance of developing residency and fellowship programs in nine subspecialties. Descriptive statistics were generated, and an analysis of variance with a post hoc Tukey’s HSD test was used to evaluate the significance of differences in the physical therapists’ perceptions across the geographical regions. [Results] In total, 148 participants responded to the survey. Significant differences were found among respondents in different geographical regions for 4 of the 10 skills and 3 of the 9 subspecialties. [Conclusion] Understating the variations between the five regions would be helpful in developing a new model for future DPT and post-professional programs that addresses potentially unique needs perfectly. Future research is needed to confirm the findings in a wide range of stakeholders.

Compared Efficiency of the Class Management Appropriation Skill by Two Categories of Physical Education Trainee Teachers: The Example of Learning Time

The purpose of this study is to compare the quality of skill’s appropriation of the learning time management by two categories of physical education (PE) trainee teachers coming from two different types of academic training. Ten volunteering teachers of PE with an average age of 23 ± 1 years and recently recruited (9 months work experience) were selected. Five licensees (ESL) originate from the License Master Doctorate (LMD) and five masters graduates (ESM). It should be noted that chosen teachers have significantly the same working conditions (two sessions of sport and physical education (SPE) per week, 32 to 34 students (±14 years) per class) and have the same physical or environmental conditions. The observation focused on three sports disciplines (sprinting, gymnastics and handball). Gender and experience in sporting practice of students have not been considered. The results obtained have shown that the ESM develop a control quality much better than their ESL counterparts balanced distribution of learning time, especially regarding the time spent on preparatory situations (p p < 0.047). Also, it should be noted that the licensee teachers spend more time explaining the objectives and content of the session than their counterparts ESM. However, the difference appears insignificant as to time provided for the organization of the material, the transition to the explanation of the mode of organization, movements, available equipment and to discuss the rules of discipline and security.

Internal Affairs Collage, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Based on the fact that psychological characteristics play a significant role in the training of special physical education, both for programming of selection diagnostics and programming methods and means to overcome specific curriculum, a study conducted aimed to determine the effect of cognitive and conative characteristics of students of the Internal Affairs College on the quality of the performance of the defense against attacks by the hand to the head from the special physical education program. The study was conducted on 70 students of both sexes of the third year of the internal Affairs College in Banja Luka, aged between 21 and 23 years. Regression analysis showed a significant effect of joint variables for assessing cognitive and conative characteristics on the performance of the defense against attacks by the hand to the head where the single statistically significant effect in explaining criterion has been achieved by: test of visual specializing (S1) designed for simultaneous assessment of education of spatial relations, test of anxiety (alpha) was used to estimate the efficiency of the defense regulation and control system and test of social disintegratedness (ETA) that was used to estimate the efficiency of the integration of regulatory functions, based on which we can assume that these variables are predictive for the successful execution of the defense against attacks by the hand to the head from the special physical education program and should be taken into consideration in the planning and realization of the process in solving situational-motor problems in familiar and unfamiliar conditions.

A training buddy peer-review process within physical education initial teacher education

Purpose – Innovation in enhancing reflective abilities of trainee teachers was explored in this small-scale qualitative study. Opportunities for active engagement in peer- and self-reflection were provided to two cohorts of British Post-Graduate Physical Education trainee teachers (n=45: male=28, female=17), aged 21-30 years. Design/methodology/approach – Trainees were assigned a peer buddy, and tasked with the dual responsibility of being and having a training buddy for a lesson observation during two school placements. They visited each other's school and recorded their buddy teaching a lesson. Immediately afterwards, they watched the recording together, engaging in reflective discussion. Trainees acted as both a critical friend and a supportive extra pair of eyes, whilst also assuming the role of reflective practitioner. Data were collected through surveys, focus group interviews and individual reflections shared through an online discussion board. Grounded theory methodology informed an emergent model of reflective practice. Findings – By being and having a training buddy, trainees created their own rules, structures and practices for implementing the process. Themes pointed to a series of mutually created spaces: safe – non-judgemental and creating a sense of solidarity; relaxed – non-pressured and conversational; equal – involving participants at the same professional stage and status; pedagogic – involving the sharing of ideas; negotiated – allowing autonomy and ownership of the process; and alternative – experiencing a different school environment. Originality/value – Trainees endorsed the peer process, illustrating benefits derived from sharing reflection, giving and receiving feedback. It is suggested that collaborative spaces created and owned by training buddies enhance reflective ability and practice.

Výsledky pilotní studie dotazníku SE-PETE-D, který zjišťuje důvěru studentů učitelství tělesné výchovy v jejich kompetence k realizaci výuky integrované tělesné výchovy

The purpose of this work is the presentation of the questionnaire of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Education Teacher Education Majors towards the Children with Disabilities (SE-PETE-D), which should be used in the future to identify self-efficacy of the students of the teacher training in physical education. At the same time will be also presented the results of a pilot study of standardization of this questionnaire in the conditions of the Czech environment. A key concept of questionnaire is self-efficacy. and introduced its the Canadian-American psychologist Albert Bandura (1997). Apilot study and comparison encompass bachelor students took part in the teaching of physical education, students of bachelor studies in adapted physical education and students of the follow-up master degree in adapted physical education. The results show that students of bachelor studies in adapted physical education have higher self-efficacy than students of bachelor studies in physical education.

O conhecimento do contexto na formação inicial em Educação Física

Ao conhecimento pedagogico do conteudo (CPC) e atribuida a tarefa de transformar o conhecimento do conteudo dos professores em conhecimento ensinavel e compreensivel pelos alunos em distintos contextos de ensino e aprendizagem. Balizado por esse pressuposto, e apoiado nas proposicoes da literatura sobre o conhecimento do contexto e sobre o CPC, este ensaio teorico analisou como os conhecimentos sobre a sala de aula (microcontexto), a escola (mesocontexto) e a comunidade (macrocontexto) incidem na construcao do CPC dos futuros professores e nos cursos de formacao inicial em Educacao Fisica. A literatura e a estrutura dos cursos de formacao em Educacao Fisica sugerem que os conhecimentos sobre os meso e macrocontextos, embora importantes, nao tem participacao significativa na construcao do CPC dos futuros professores. Tal como os estudos analisados, sugere-se que os professores-formadores, durante a formacao inicial, estimulem a reflexao, a sensibilidade e a criticidade dos futuros professores sobre a influencia dos meso e macrocontextos no planejamento, na implementacao e na gestao de suas praticas pedagogicas, na interacao com e na aprendizagem e formacao dos alunos. Alem disso, que os cursos de formacao inicial em Educacao Fisica reconhecam a importância do conhecimento do contexto na construcao do CPC dos futuros professores, o abordem em diferentes disciplinas, sob varios ângulos e por meio de distintas estrategias, e nao apenas tragam alunos em idade escolar para a instituicao de ensino superior, mas levem os futuros professores para dentro das escolas de Educacao Basica desde o inicio do curso. Assim, podem ser ampliadas as possibilidades de construcao e desenvolvimento do conhecimento do contexto e, consequentemente, do CPC dos futuros professores de Educacao Fisica, qualificando sua formacao academica, docente e profissional.

Assessing community readiness for overweight and obesity prevention in pre-adolescent girls: a case study.

BackgroundChildhood overweight and obesity is a global public health concern. For girls in particular, being overweight or obese during pre-adolescence (aged 7–11 years) has intergenerational implications for both the mother and her future offspring. In the United Kingdom (UK) there is increasing interest in community targeted interventions but less is known about how to tailor these approaches to the needs of the community. This study applied the Community Readiness Model (CRM), for the first time in the UK, to demonstrate its applicability in designing tailored interventions.MethodsCommunity readiness assessment was conducted using semi-structured key informant interviews. The community’s key informants were identified through focus groups with pre-adolescent girls. The interviews addressed the community’s efforts; community knowledge of the efforts; leadership; community climate; community knowledge of the issue and resources available to support the issue. Interviews were conducted until the point of theoretical saturation and questions were asked separately regarding physical activity (PA) and healthy eating and drinking (HED) behaviours. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and were firstly analysed thematically and then scored using the assessment guidelines produced by the CRM authors.ResultsReadiness in this community was higher for PA than for HED behaviours. The lowest scores related to the community’s ’resources’ and the ’community knowledge of the issue’; affirming these two issues as the most appropriate initial targets for intervention. In terms of resources, there is also a need for resources to support the development of HED efforts beyond the school. Investment in greater physical education training for primary school teachers was also identified as an intervention priority. To address the community’s knowledge of the issue, raising the awareness of the prevalence of pre-adolescent girls’ health behaviours is a priority at the local community level. Inconsistent school approaches contributed to tensions between schools and parents regarding school food policies.ConclusionsThis study has identified the readiness level within a UK community to address the behaviours related to overweight and obesity prevention in pre-adolescent girls. The focus of an intervention in this community should initially be resources and raising awareness of the issue within the community.

Deficiencies and sufficiencis of physical education and sport teacher training: Turkey's adaptation process with the European Union

Deficiencies and sufficiencis of physical education and sport teacher training: Turkey's adaptation process with the European Union