Effects of continuing professional development on urban elementary students' knowledge

This study supports the important role teacher training programs can play in increasing physical education knowledge. In this project, teachers were able to increase students' understanding of critical physical activity/fitness knowledge through physical education instruction, without changing the physical education contact time. This link to student needs as well as the school's overall mission is a promising one for students and schools alike.     

Physical education teachers’ self-reported use and perceptions of various teaching styles

Increasing recognition of the constructivist nature of learning as well as the diversity of student learning styles highlights the need for teachers to use different teaching styles. Unfortunately, little is known about teachers’ use and perception of various teaching styles. The purpose of this study was to explore physical education teachers’ self-reported use and perceptions of various teaching styles. Participants were 212 physical education teachers representing a variety of elementary and secondary school settings. Teachers had significantly different experiences in the use and perceptions of the different teaching styles. Their perceptions also differed according to self-rated teaching ability related to using the styles.     

Classroom teachers and physical activity integration

This project examined 23 teachers’ involvement in a curricular project to integrate physical activity into the school day. The teachers represented all grade levels and worked in schools that served Native American students in the United States. Interviews occurred twice during the year-long project. Data were analyzed via constant comparison. Teachers’ willingness to engage was influenced positively by caring about students and their own personal wellness history. Their engagement was impeded by institutional factors of scheduling and assessment pressures. The results provide insights into how teachers might be persuaded to and prepared for the implementation of similar programs in new locations.     

Google Scholar acceptance and use among graduate students: A quantitative study

Adding the external variables of satisfaction and loyalty to Fred Davis' technology acceptance model (TAM), this study examined the extent to which graduate students perceived Google Scholar to be a resource that is useful and easy to use. A survey of 1141 graduate students at the University of Minnesota asked questions exploring their perceptions of Google Scholar as part of their research process. Seventy-five percent of survey participants had used Google Scholar at least once before, and a statistical analysis of the responses found that perceived usefulness, loyalty, and, to a lesser extent, perceived ease of use, were positively and significantly related to the graduate students' intended use of the information resource. This research showed that TAM is an applicable model for predicting graduate student use of Google Scholar, which can help academic librarians seeking to understand graduate student acceptance of new information sources. Additionally, this study provides information about how librarians might best promote Google Scholar and other library resources to graduate students.     

A cross-cultural investigation of the use of teaching styles

Teacher beliefs are a major influence on teacher actions. Because context influences beliefs, it was the purpose of this study to explore teachers' beliefs about Mosston's Spectrum of Teaching Styles from an international perspective. Over 1,400 teachers from 7 countries completed a survey related to their self-reported use of and beliefs about various teaching styles. Data suggested a shared core of reproduction teaching style use. The use of and beliefs about the production styles of teaching were more varied. Teachers' use of styles was significantly related to their beliefs about the styles.     

E-Mentoring in Physical Education

Mentoring can be a critical component of teachers' professional development and retention, yet logistical and fiscal challenges often limit the amount of contact a protégé can have with a mentor teacher. This investigation explored a school district initiative to address this need for more mentor interaction by supplementing traditional face-to-face mentoring with electronic mentoring. Thirty elementary physical education teachers participated in a year-long program that involved workshops, school visits, videotaped lessons, and electronic mentoring via chat rooms. Data were collected from chat room postings and analyzed for frequency of response and quality. In addition, a series of interviews were analyzed via constant comparison process to further understand teachers' perceptions of electronic mentoring. In general, teacher postings were minimal in frequency and quality. The limited use of the chat rooms was likely linked to the teachers' perceptions of electronic mentoring, which included several concerns with the technical and human dimensions of the process.     

Teachers' reports of student misbehavior in physical education

Classroom management, and, more specifically, the management of student behavior, is an essential skill for and central concern of physical education teachers. Surprisingly little information is known, however about the specific nature of student behaviors that might negatively affect the class environment. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' reports of student behaviors that may create management issues in physical education classes. Over 300 teachers representing a range of grade levels and school contexts completed a survey related to the frequency of potentially negative student behaviors. Many types of misbehaviors were reported, but the most common were mild. Teachers' reports varied by sex, years of teaching experience, and school context.