Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout the person's lifetime. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that about one in 88 U.S. children have ASD. It is usually diagnosed during childhood and is characterized by core symptoms that include qualitative…

Although traditional methods of assessment--such as rubrics, checklists, skill tests, and quizzes--have long been viable methods of evaluation in physical education, they may at times seem boring or overwhelming. Yet, assessment can be as fun and interesting as the activities that are taught in physical education, and can help to increase…

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…

The importance of using rubrics as an assessment tool has been well established. Rubrics communicate to students what is expected of them, scaffold learning, provide feedback to students and teachers concerning the teaching-learning process, and allow teachers and students to self- and peer-assess. They also help teachers evaluate consistently and…

Problems in gender equity exist in dance education just as they do in other professions. There is a need for strategic recruitment efforts and research on how to attract more males into the dance profession.

Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets offer applications (apps) that make digital movement analysis simple and efficient in physical education. Highly sophisticated movement analysis software has been available for many years but has mainly appealed to coaches of elite athletes and biomechanists. Apps on mobile devices are less expensive…

While many teachers continue to ignore the practice of assessing student achievement in physical education, recent federal pressures to include student assessment data in teacher evaluation systems has shown that assessment of student outcomes is here to stay. Though there is a strong tradition of assessing teacher practice in physical education,…

In order to prepare undergraduate students better for the realities of school life, instructors of some methods courses have started to use case studies for teaching. These cases are used to highlight the complexity and variability of the educational environment. This method of teaching, which has its roots in business, law, and medicine, has…

Skill and knowledge tests typically represent less than half of students' grades, whereas subjective evaluations of participation and effort, followed by attitude, skill, attendance, and dressing out represent the largest portion of the grade. More than half of all teachers use improvement as a basis for grading. However, improvement does not…

Fitness education is an important component in the promotion of health-enhancing behaviors that lead to physically active lifestyles. However, using a teacher-centered approach to teach fitness may be boring and may limit the application of the content to the individual student. The personalized system of instruction (PSI) is an instructional…

The main goals of the sport education model (SEM) are to help students become competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportspersons by offering learning opportunities through contextualized sport experiences within the physical education setting. While various resources recommend suitable and easy-to-use assessment tools for physical education…

There is little doubt that the assessment and evaluation of student learning, as well as the assessment and evaluation of a teacher's pedagogical skills and curriculum, is of tremendous importance. Indeed, without any evidence that learning is taking place, why should a school district invest time and resources in a given subject area? Yet…

One of the central functions of teaching is formal assessment. However, formal assessment in school physical education often consists of attributing final grades to students at the conclusion of a unit (i.e., summative assessment). Moreover, grades have often been based on effort, attendance, and dress. Practical and authentic assessment…

Teacher Work Samples (TWS) can be viewed in terms of a product and a process. As a product, the TWS measures a teacher candidate's (TC's) ability to promote student achievement, documents that TCs have met minimum national standards, and validates teacher education programs. Teacher candidates engage in observable, job-related behaviors that serve…

Teacher work samples (TWS) are an integrated, comprehensive assessment tool that can be used as evidence of a beginning teacher's readiness to teach. Unlike linear assessments used to determine teaching effectiveness, TWS are relevant and reflective of "real" teaching. They are designed to exhibit a clear relationship among teacher candidate…