Pamela Hodges Kulinna

This is Kind of Giving a Secret Away...: Students' Perspectives on Effective Class Management.

Abstract Class management is a critical challenge for educators. Previous management research focused largely on the teacher, ignoring the impetus and target of teacher action, the student. It was the purpose of this study to examine students’ perspectives on teachers’ behaviors that impeded or contributed to effective class management. Interviews with 182 students focused on student behavior and teacher practices. The conversations were recorded and later transcribed. The interview data were analyzed using constant comparison methods. Despite the widely varying school contexts, students provided consistent reports that effective managers set early, consistent standards, and developed positive relationships with students.

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

Abstract 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.

What makes teacher professional development work? The influence of instructional resources on change in physical education

The purpose of this study was to understand factors that make teacher professional development successful and what success might mean in terms of teachers’ instructional practices and feelings about change. Specifically, this study focused on the impact of instructional resources on the large‐scale curricular reform of 30 urban physical education teachers. Data were collected through interviews and class observations. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis, member checks, a research team and triangulation. Analysis of these teachers’ use of and perspectives toward the instructional resources provided in the professional development process suggested that they experienced significant instructional and emotional outcomes. First, the resources enabled them to improve their instruction by: teaching more content, maximizing student learning opportunities, teaching diverse learners, teaching to development, and increasing classroom safety. Second, they also reported strong positive and negative emotions from the new resources that influenced how they viewed change. On the one hand, the resources were inspirational in helping teachers to: meet students’ needs, overcome unsupportive administrators, impress parents, and preserve salaries. On the other hand, resources also led to anxiety and concerns about utilization, storage, maintenance, and preserving relationships. Implications centre on better understanding professional development for teachers.

Children's Step Counts on Weekend, Physical Education, and Non-Physical Education Days

Childrens Step Counts on Weekend, Physical Education, and Non-Physical Education Days There have been well-documented increases in overweight and obese children, sedentary lifestyles, and increased prevalence of a hypokinetic disease over the past 20 years. Thus understanding the physical activity patterns of children is essential for developing effective interventions. Little evidence exists that illustrates the contribution of weekend, physical education, and non-physical education days to overall physical activity patterns of children. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in pedometer-determined physical activity patterns of fourth and fifth grade children during weekend, physical education and non-physical education days. Three hundred and sixty-three children (8-11 years old) from six Southwestern USA elementary schools participated by wearing pedometers (Yamax Digiwalker SW-200) for seven consecutive days. Children recorded their steps at arrival to school and when they woke up and went to bed on weekend days. During weekdays, the fourth and fifth grade children averaged 13,196 ± 3,334 and 11,295 ± 3,168 steps/day for boys and girls, respectively. This is compared to a weekend average of 7,660 ± 4,647steps/day (boys) and 7,317 ± 4,062 steps/day (girls). Children were significantly more active on physical education days, averaging 12,979 steps/day (14,197 ± 4,697 steps/day for boys and 12,058 ± 3,772 steps/day for girls),compared to non-physical education school days, when they accumulated 11,809 steps/day (12,788 ± 3,600 steps/day for boys and 11,047 ± 3,382 steps/day for girls). Based on the findings in this study, children and youth are more active during school days than on weekend days. Furthermore, children are more active on physical education days than non-physical education days. These findings suggest that increased physical activity programming and interventions during weekend days may be needed to increase physical activity. The expansion of school-based physical education across more school days may also serve to increase childrens physical activity during the school week.

Evaluation of Low-Cost, Objective Instruments for Assessing Physical Activity in 10–11-Year-Old Children

This study compared step counts detected by four, low-cost, objective, physical-activity-assessment instruments and evaluated their ability to detect moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to the ActiGraph accelerometer (AG). Thirty-six 10–11-year-old children wore the NL-1000, Yamax Digiwalker SW 200, Omron HJ-151, and Walk4Life MVP concurrently with the AG during school hours on a single day. AG MVPA was derived from activity count data using previously validated cut points. Two of the evaluated instruments provided similar group mean MVPA and step counts compared to AG (dependent on cut point). Low-cost instruments may be useful for measurement of both MVPA and steps in childrens physical activity interventions and program evaluation.

Attributions for and consequences of student misbehavior

Background: Effective classroom management is a critical teaching skill and a key concern of educators. As such it has been the focus of much research and as a result educators know a good deal about what happens in physical education class and the actions teachers take to deal with student behavior. Surprisingly, however, we do not know much at all about what teachers believe causes student misbehavior, nor what students say about the same issue. This seems like a critical oversight as how one explains anothers behavior determines the individuals reactions to that behavior. Purpose: To examine teacher and student attributions for behavior in physical education class. Participants and setting: Twenty-three secondary physical education teachers (14 males and nine females), and 182 secondary students (100 males and 82 females) from a variety of school districts in the United States. Research design: A descriptive study aimed at examining teacher and student attributions. Maximum variation sampling of schools, teachers, and students was employed to explore the role of context on attribution. Data collection: Teachers were interviewed at a convenient time during the school day while students were interviewed alone or in groups of two or three students during their physical education class. An interview guide structured all discussions. Interviews were recorded and later transcribed. Data analysis: The interview data were analyzed via analytic induction methods to identify and extract common themes. Trustworthiness measures included researcher triangulation and a search for negative cases. Findings: Although the sites and participants in this study were selected for their diversity, comparisons of teachers and students across sites revealed perspectives that were remarkably similar. One key difference between groups was that of attribution for student misbehavior. Teachers most often attributed student misbehavior to unknown or home factors while students were more likely to attribute misbehavior to need for attention and/or a lack of meaningful class content. Both groups largely agreed that student misbehavior negatively affected class time, content, and attitude. Some students cited potential positive outcomes from misbehavior of increased fun and social status. Conclusions: Although teachers and students shared fairly similar perspectives, they disagreed on the reasons for misbehavior and this is a critical difference in perspective that suggests neither group is able and/or willing to ‘own’ the problem of student misbehavior and until it is owned, it will not be solved. There is a need for more reflection by teachers and students to acknowledge their mutual contributions to student misbehavior. Only when both groups start to take ownership of their contribution to the problem of misbehavior can the problem be solved. For teachers, reflection and ownership needs to include taking a broader view of management in order to see the interaction of curriculum and instruction with class management.

Top‐down public health curricular change: the experience of physical education teachers in the United States

Schools are frequently seen as the solution to social problems, and recent public health issues such as the near epidemic rates of obesity and diabetes are some of the newest pressures facing schools. This investigation is an exploration of physical education teachers’ reactions to one school district’s attempts to mandate a public health driven curricular change. Forty‐six elementary physical education teachers reported via interviews their perceptions of the change process. Data were analysed via a constant comparison process. Two key areas of implementation challenges were identified; including teachers’ need for new knowledge and the mismatch between the curriculum and teachers’ understanding of physical education and their context.

The Development and Validation of Scores on a Measure of Teachers’ Attitudes toward Teaching Physical Activity and Fitness

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to examine teachers’ attitudes toward teaching physical activity and fitness. The study was conducted in multiple phases, including a preliminary study, a content validity study, and a reliability and validity study. Participants for the content validity study were 28 experts in sport pedagogy. They were sent items from the attitude instrument and asked to organize them into the instruments’ four domain areas. Participants for the reliability and validity study were 253 teachers. Statistical results indicate that an instrument that produces reliable and valid scores was developed to measure teachers’attitudes toward teaching physical activity and fitness. Investigating teachers’ attitudes in this area will lead to a better understanding of the role that physical activity and fitness currently play in physical education and may help to define their role in the future.

Strategies for Physical Activity Promotion beyond the Physical Education Classroom.

JOPERD • Volume 78 No. 9 • November/December 2007 M uch of the focus for physical education teachers relates to the curriculum and each individual lesson that is taught. It is important, however, to advocate for another aspect of the program that teachers are trying to promote: physical activity outside of the physical education classroom. With the limited amount of time for physical education, students cannot reach the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], 2004b). To make up the difference, physical educators need to help promote, facilitate, and model opportunities for students to be active outside of class. The Healthy People 2010 goals state that individuals should increase their daily physical activity levels and increase their quality of life through physical activity (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000). These goals can be reached by combining the efforts of physical educators with the efforts of other school and community professionals. This article provides suggestions for physical educators to help students, their friends, and even their families to lead a physically active lifestyle and make healthy choices outside of the physical education program.

The Progression and Characteristics of Conceptually Based Fitness/Wellness Courses at American Universities and Colleges.

Abstract Objective: To describe the availability, progression, and characteristics of conceptually based Fitness/Wellness (CBFW) courses in American colleges and universities. Participants: Surveys were completed by 161 faculty members about the availability and characteristics of CBFW courses at their particular institutions. Methods: The CBFW course instrument was used to obtain descriptive data on courses, institutions, and availability. Results: Ninety percent of the 161 responding institutions indicated offering a CBFW course, 44% indicated the course was required. This marks a significant increase in CBFW course availability when compared to earlier studies. The availability of CBFW courses has varied according to the type and size of the institution. Conclusions: There has been a meaningful increase in offered and required CBFW courses in American colleges and universities.