Children's Activity Levels and Lesson Context during Third-Grade Physical Education

Abstract

Little is known about children's activity levels during physical education classes and how they relate to the national health objectives for the year 2000 (U.S. Public Health Service, 1991). We systematically observed students' physical activity and associated variables in 293 third-grade physical education lessons in 95 schools in 4 Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardio-vascular Health (CATCH) centers in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas. The influence of independent variables was assessed simultaneously by analysis of variance. Significant differences among study centers were evidenced for both physical activity and lesson context variables. Additionally, there were differences among variables for lesson location and teacher specialty, but not for teacher gender. Boys were more active than girls, but only during free play opportunities. The findings have widespread implications for educators responsible for developing and implementing health-related physical education programs, as well as for designing and conducting staff development.     

The Effects of Achieved National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification on the Marginality of Physical Education Teachers

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between achieving The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification and feelings of marginality of physical education teachers. Data sources included a focus group interview with 6 National Board Certified Physical Education Teachers (NBCPETs) and individual phone interviews with 20 NBCPETs using an interview guide (Patton, 2007 Patton, M. Q. 2007. Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers..  [Google Scholar]). Data were analyzed inductively using the Miles and Huberman (1984) Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M. 1984. Qualitative data analysis: A source book of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publishers..  [Google Scholar] four-stage process. Findings indicated that teachers and administrators considered National Board Certification a symbol of highly skilled teaching. Possessing this symbol changed the way the NBCPETs approached their work and how others acted toward them. NBCPETs felt more confident, more vocal, and more active in leadership positions.     

Critical Events in Education

From time to time, education is marked by critical events. In contrast to routine processes and any gradual cumulation of learning, these bring radical change in both pupils and teachers. They also have a confirmatory and preservation function in sustaining teachers’ beliefs, interests and commitment, and aiding strategic redefinition. They could have a wider influence through a ‘community of interactive professionals’. The critical events studied are marked by constructivist learning theory and relationships that generate distinct forms of communitas. They go through fairly well‐defined stages from initial conceptualisation to final celebration, with a rhythm of learning between structure and freedom developing. The conditions favourable to the occurrence of critical events include legitimation within the curriculum structure, a facilitative school ethos and, above all, a critical agent.     

Developing policy and practice for dyslexia across a local authority: a case study of educational psychology practice at organisational level

In this paper two premises are set out: first, that within Children’s Services educational psychologists (EPs) have a distinctive contribution to make towards policy and practice in relation to “dyslexia”; second, that they may be well placed to lead development work at an organisational level within a local authority. Building on previously unpublished work, the authors report a case study of the development of a local authority dyslexia policy led by an EP over a two year period. Data were collected from an account by the lead EP, a policy development group members’ focus group, and a questionnaire survey of special educational needs coordinators (SENCos). The findings confirm the scientist-practitioner contribution of the lead EP to both the product and the process of successful policy development and implementation. Facilitators, barriers and secondary benefits in relation to successful policy development within multi-disciplinary Children’s Services are considered, and the policy-practice inter-relationship is theorised.     

The Violent World of the Athlete

This paper reviews recent research on class management and organization as it applies to physical education. Two main types of research are identified, that which serves to increase the definitional and conceptual understanding of class management and that which focuses on ways of improving class management and organization within physical education settings. Findings and limitations of current research are outlined together with suggestions for future lines of inquiry. Finally, the implications of this expanding knowledge base for physical education teachers and teacher educators are discussed.     

Navigating Uncharted Waters: Study Abroad Predeparture Activities and the 2-Year-College Student

ABSTRACT

Study abroad programs typically reveal issues that are not commonly found in classes on the home campus. At University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College (UCBA), a 2-year regional campus of University of Cincinnati, we offer three short-term summer study abroad programs each year. Students in these programs have traditionally participated in social gatherings and orientations that include information on culture, behavior, travel logistics, program itineraries, and course curricula prior to travel. To identify student concerns about travel abroad and to measure the effectiveness of how well predeparture activities prepare our students, we administered open-ended student surveys, one predeparture and one posttravel, in our three programs. Using open and axial coding and contrastive analysis, we found that students express a variety of concerns in the areas of behavior and group dynamics, friendship and bonding, and academics and course-related issues. Moreover, posttravel surveys indicate that most of our early preparations positively affected students’ experiences abroad. Our findings suggest that well-planned predeparture activities are essential to study abroad program success with 2-year-college students.