Researchers examined procedures for collecting data on students' competency in two fundamental motor skills, criteria for assessing skill proficiency, and results across several grades. They task-analyzed videotapes of students' performance and determined that most students did not meet criterion expectations associated with an advanced form for…

Reviews the need for and appropriate use of individual assessment in physical education and explains how computerized data management can combat the logistical difficulties of using the data. Describes project COPE (Computer Organized Physical Education), a computerized data management system for improving recordkeeping, planning, and…

Provides physical educators with an understanding of diabetes, noting important considerations when teaching physical education to students with diabetes. Discusses four aspects of the issue (overview; common questions and answers concerning the control of diabetes; balancing insulin, food intake, and physical activity; and implications for…

Physical educators at one university use multimedia authoring software so students can integrate text, graphics, video, audio, and digitized images into their lesson plans. The article explains how to produce and develop multimedia lesson plans, describes the advantages of multimedia, and explains how to get started with limited technology skills.…

Two feature articles on the development of expertise in teaching physical education and in coaching are introduced by Paul Schempp. The first article (Steven Tan) describes eight critical characteristics of expertise. The second article (Martie Bell) focuses on acquiring and developing expertise, explaining the characteristics of each stage of…

Surveys of 331 four-year universities nationwide examined swim test requirements and reasons for administering or not administering swim tests. Responses from 331 returned questionnaires indicated that 5% of the schools had swim test requirements, though 25% had them previously. Lack of a physical education requirement was the most commonly cited…

Presents a proactive, nonjudgmental strategy for encouraging students to reflect on the development of moral character by developing physical education skills. The strategy involves a working conception of character as habit; good habits for moral behavior; understanding why doing good can seem so difficult; and developing personal character that…

Describes the implementation of a character education program in one New Jersey school system. The program, developed by school and community members, includes all value-related issues and occurs throughout the system (including school buses, playgrounds, and extracurricular activities). Adults model good values, and children are taught values…

Investigated preservice teachers' beliefs about appropriate physical education activities, noting the effect of preconceived beliefs and the influence of two articles they read about inappropriate activities. Written responses to the articles indicated students had strong beliefs. Results could not show whether they agreed on activity…

Examines issues surrounding playground safety, noting the role that the journal "Leisure Today" and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation have played in improving playground safety standards. Some of the safety issues include: age appropriate design, playground surfacing, adult supervision, and maintenance. (SM)

Surveys of 265 elementary and secondary physical education teachers from Alabama assessed their inservice program needs with a focus on professional development needs and preferred inservice program arrangements or settings. Results indicated that physical educators wanted inservice program content to meet their unique needs but that many local…

Preservice teachers need to reflect and write on their experiences in a structured way to compare the value of past and future teaching events. This paper examines the value and structure of stories, discusses teacher reflection, and presents examples and methods of connecting stories and reflective writing within preservice physical education.…

Examines the impact of sport on character development, noting that historically British and American schools have valued sports for helping develop social character and citizenship. The paper discusses research on sport as a character builder, suggesting that the effect of sport on character depends on the positive or negative social contextual…

Discusses whether character can be measured, describing moral development research, and noting how moral educators use many tools, types of research designs, and qualitative and quantitative methods in trying to understand moral education. The paper examines the role of moral education in the development of personal character, discussing moral…

Discusses the role of long-term homeschooled students in providing clinical teaching opportunities for preservice physical educators. The paper describes two physical education teacher education programs, at Asbury College (Kentucky) and Appalachian State University (North Carolina), that illustrate how homeschooled children fit into preservice…