Search

For many years, pedagogical scholars and physical education (PE) teachers have worked to enhance effective teaching and learning environments. Yet for some children, youth, and young adults, many of the benefits associated with a physically active lifestyle remain elusive. Enhancing programming and performance to meet physical activity goals may require moving programsbeyond“effective.” It will require teachers and program leaders to focus programmatic attention on strategies to actually increase students’ out-of-class physical activity behavior. Transformative PE provides physical activity content within a nurturing and motivating environment that can change students’ lives. It focuses on PE students’ role in cognitive decision making, self-motivation, and their search for personal meaning that can add connection and relevance to physical activities. In this SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical EducatorsResearch Quarterly for Exercise and SportLecture, I have synthesized the research on these topics to emphasize useful findings applicable to teachers’ everyday planning and teaching. Using sport, physical activity, dance, and adventure activities as the means to an end for personal and social growth, we can meet our commitment to effective standards-based education while preparing students for a lifetime of physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents an evaluation of study concerning the definition of learning as a conceptual change physical activity settings and physical education. It mentions that the concept opens up opportunity for learners' to explore their understandings on factors that influence their behavior choices and decision making. In effect, understanding of conceptual change may lead to a meaningful construction of knowledge about health, performance, and the role of physical activity in creating one's personal active lifestyle.

Examines the effectiveness of Sport for Peace, an urban high school physical education curriculum reform initiative to enhance student engagement and willingness to interact positively with others. Use three-phase research design; Results suggesting that the curricular structure fostered shared responsibility for learning, trust, respect, and a sense of family.

Focuses on educational value orientations which reflect teachers' philosophical beliefs about schooling which serve as the basis on which teachers make their decisions. What the subsequent examination of the representativeness of the statment led to; Purpose of the investigation.

Presents a study which was conducted to determine how the perceptions and actions of boys and girls influenced students' construction of realities in secondary school physical education in the United States. How data was analyzed; Reproduction of traditionally dominant forms of femininity and masculinity by students; Concept of gender in sports.

Describes physical educators' value orientations for curricular decision making in urban and rural teaching settings. Role of beliefs in curricular decision making; Priority on self-actualization and social responsibility; Differences in school contexts in urban and rural schools.

Discusses the domain specifications and content representativeness of the revised value orientation inventory (VOI) for physical education teachers. VOI revision process; Disciplinary mastery; Learning process; Self-actualization; Ecological integration; Social reconstruction.

Presents information on a study which was conducted to investigate situational and personal contextual factors that teachers and students reported enhanced or minimized students' educational engagement in urban high school physical educational classes. What personal context factors included; Details on the study's findings.

The curriculum may superimpose a content-specific context that mediates motivation (Bong, 2001). This study examined content specificity of the expectancy-value motivation in elementary school physical education. Students' expectancy beliefs and perceived task values from a cardiorespiratory fitness unit, a muscular fitness unit, and a traditional skill/game unit were analyzed using constant comparison coding procedures, multivariate analysis of variance, x2 and correlation analyses. There was no difference in the intrinsic interest value among the three content conditions. Expectancy belief attainment, and utility values were significantly higher for the cardiorespiratory fitness curriculum. Correlations differentiated among the expectancy- value components of the content conditions, providing further evidence of content specificity in the expectancy-value motivation process. The findings suggest that expectancy beliefs and task values should be incorporated in the theoretical platform for curriculum development based on the learning outcomes that can be specified with enhanced motivation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The curriculum may superimpose a content-specific context that mediates motivation (Bong, 2001). This study examined content specificity of the expectancy-value motivation in elementary school physical education. Students' expectancy beliefs and perceived task values from a cardiorespiratory fitness unit, a muscular fitness unit, and a traditional skill/game unit were analyzed using constant comparison coding procedures, multivariate analysis of variance, X2, and correlation analyses. There was no difference in the intrinsic interest value among the three content conditions. Expectancy belief attainment, and utility values were significantly higher for the cardiorespiratory fitness curriculum. Correlations differentiated among the expectancy-value components of the content conditions, providing further evidence of content specificity in the expectancy-value motivation process. The findings suggest that expectancy beliefs and task values should be incorporated in the theoretical platform for curriculum development based on the learning outcomes that can be specified with enhanced motivation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been demonstrated that situational interest in physical activity may derive from five dimensional sources, Novelty, Optimal Challenge, Attention Demand, Exploration Intent, and Instant Enjoyment. The purpose of this study was to examine the multidimensional sources in elementary school physical education. The five dimensions were measured in 5,717 students in third, fourth, and fifth grades from a random sample of 30 elementary schools. Students' responses were randomly divided into two samples for a two-step confirmatory factor analysis. The results confirmed that the five dimensions are primary sources of situational interest for elementary school physical education. The findings implied that situational interest should be taken into account as a necessary curricular component in elementary physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructivist physical education emphasizes cognitive engagement. This study examined the impact of a constructivist curriculum on in-class physical activity. Caloric expenditure in metabolic equivalents (MET) and vector magnitude count (VM) data from a random sample of 41 constructivist lessons were compared with those from a random sample of 35 nonconstructivist lessons. Statistical analyses revealed that students in both curriculum conditions were active at a similarly low-moderate level (MET = 2.6 for experimental, 2.5 for comparison, p = .30). Differences (p < .05) were found between the three units within the constructivist curriculum. The findings suggest that the constructivist approach may facilitate knowledge learning with little risk of reducing in-class physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructivist physical education emphasizes cognitive engagement. This study examined the impact of a constructivist curriculum on in-class physical activity. Caloric expenditure in metabolic equivalents (MET) and vector magnitude count (VM) data from a random sample of 41 constructivist lessons were compared with those from a random sample of 35 nonconstructivist lessons. Statistical analyses revealed that students in both curriculum conditions were active at a similarly low-moderate level (MET = 2. 6 for experimental, 2.5 for comparison, p = .30). Differences (p < .05) were found between the three units within the constructivist curriculum. The findings suggest that the constructivist approach may facilitate knowledge learning with little risk of reducing in-class physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]