Marianne L. Woods

Positions in Kinesiology and Physical Education at the College or University Level.

Many graduates of doctoral programs in kinesiology and physical education (KPE) pursue positions in higher education. To determine how student interests in KPE are aligned with academic positions and the qualifications for and responsibilities of those positions, we conducted two analyses: (a) of student interest based on a survey of 26 doctoral degree programs from 1997-2000, and (b) of position announcements from 1998-2002 in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Overall, 1,483 positions were found. Results showed that competitive candidates need a doctorate degree or ABD (n = 1,108), college/university (n = 695) or K-12 (n = 316) teaching experience, and a record of or potential for scholarly activity (n = 483). Teaching responsibilities were usually in the position subdiscipline, yet candidates need to be prepared to teach a variety of courses. Nonteaching responsibilities included scholarship (n = 723), service (n = 644), and student advisement (n = 543). Doctoral programs in KPE need to determine the future aspirations of degree candidates and offer them a variety of learning experiences and assessments to prepare qualified candidates for these positions.

Using Sport Education to Teach Wall Climbing

Wall climbing has become one of the most popular activities both inside and outside the physical education setting (Mittelstaedt, 1997; Stiehl & Chase, 2008). Students are drawn to wall climbing for numerous reasons, including the feeling of individual challenge and excitement (Stiehl & Chase). While wall climbing is a popular activity and is becoming increasingly visible in K-12 physical education curricula, instructional approaches and equipment limitations have created some concerns. Instructional approaches for wall climbing often focus on teaching isolated skills (e.g., belaying) followed by students attempting to apply their skills while climbing or traversing a wall. Although teaching climbing-specific skills and having students apply them in an authentic setting are key aspects of learning, students may not have enough opportunities to apply their skills due to limited space on the climbing wall. A more holistic approach may help to overcome these concerns. Specifically the sport education model (SEM; Siedentop, 1994; Siedentop, Hastie, & van der Mars, 2004) may provide a quality framework for teaching students wall-climbing skills in a way that will help them to understand and engage in wall climbing both inside and outside the educational setting.