Conceptual physical education (CPE) courses are typically included in university course work to provide students knowledge and skills to engage in physical activity for life. The purpose of this study was to identify CPE course characteristics that contributed to positive and negative student perceptions. Participants included 157 undergraduates…

The goal of the present article is to describe conditions that influence coach reflection, and to provide suggestions for nurturing coach reflection. Coach reflection varies based on the interaction of four conditions: (a) peer access, (b) stage of learning, (c) issue characteristics, and (d) environment. Data are presented to support the four…

The purpose of this study was to identify practicing physical education teacher's perspectives regarding the adapted physical education curriculum of their respective Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs, and to explore how their preparation programs have affected their feelings of competence and confidence when teaching students…

One hindrance to maximizing the amount of time students are actively engaged in quality practice is the wait time that results from limited equipment (e.g. basketball goals) and/or facilities (e.g. shot put ring). A possible solution to counteract this problem would be to modify the natural performance setting. Empirical evidence regarding the…

This study was designed to determine if a female physical educator's appearance of body fatness affects 1) the cognitive performance of junior high school students on a test of health-related fitness knowledge, and 2) student attitudes toward the instructor. Ninety-three seventh through ninth grade students from two schools, participated in a…

One hundred children attending a summer soccer camp in NE Ohio provided written data on what they most enjoyed about the camp. Findings indicated that, overall, they ranked "soccer games and skills" and "camp related activities" as the two leading major categories. In terms of gender group analysis (females = 49; males = 51) the males gave more…

Much attention is paid in education to assessing teaching effectiveness. Collegiate textbooks, professional development workshops, and professional journals overflow with indicators of this trait. An underlying assumption is that a primary task of teachers and coaches is to identify, develop, and reduce areas of weakness in their student athletes…

The purpose of the study was twofold: (a) to examine a teacher's perceptions of attempting to implement assessments aligned with the NASPE standards and (b) to examine students' perceptions of assessment in physical education. Participants were 46 4th grade students and their physical education teacher. Data were collected through a Likert-scale…

The purpose of this study was to investigate Tennessee principals' selection of physical education teacher applicants based on hypothetical descriptions of academic merit and physical appearance. A final sample of 139 of the 210 randomly selected school principals completed the survey, "Hiring the Physical Education Teacher." Results indicated…

The decline in the proportion of female head coaches in the intercollegiate ranks is one of the most significant issues in the realm of women's sports today. To extend the body of research that has studied this topic, we investigated the impact relational demographic effects on the work attitudes of coaches, which differs from previous research…

Experiences in sport and physical activity prior to formal teacher preparation are thought to be influential on perceptions of aspiring teachers. Various types of sport and teaching experiences of future teachers have not, however, been linked to specific beliefs and perceptions of teaching effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to examine…

The purpose of this study was to examine how student teachers (STs) linked their observation and reflection skills to assist them in bridging the theory to practice gap during their elementary student teaching experience. Eight STs were videotaped on two different occasions during their elementary assignment. Immediately following the lesson, the…

The standing long jump was taught to 47 elementary children in one of three conditions; C1) practice only, C2) demonstration, cueing, and practice, and C3) direct instruction, which included all elements of the first two conditions + checks for understanding (CFU), corrective feedback, and closure. All children performed four jumping tasks 10…

The ability to shape appropriate behavior while extinguishing misbehavior is critical to teaching and learning in physical education. The scientific principles that affect student learning in the gymnasium also apply to the methods teachers use to influence social behaviors. Research indicates that reinforcement strategies are more effective than…

The student teaching experience can be a time of application and learning for the student. The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of interactions student teachers had during their elementary physical education teaching experience. The subjects were three senior physical education majors that had completed all of their class work…