Sheri J. Brock

Student Motivation in Physical Education: Breaking down Barriers.

Abstract Student motivation in physical education typically declines after the early years. Why? And what can be done about it?

A Sport Education Fitness Season’s Impact on Students’ Fitness Levels, Knowledge, and In-Class Physical Activity

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a sport education season of fitness could provide students with recommended levels of in-class moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while also increasing students’ fitness knowledge and fitness achievement. Method: One hundred and sixty-six 5th-grade students (76 boys, 90 girls) participated in a 20-lesson season called “CrossFit Challenge” during a 4-week period. The Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run, push-ups, and curl-ups tests of the FITNESSGRAM® were used to assess fitness at pretest and posttest, while fitness knowledge was assessed through a validated, grade-appropriate test of health-related fitness knowledge (HRF). Physical activity was measured with Actigraph GT3X triaxial accelerometers. Results: Results indicated a significant time effect for all fitness tests and the knowledge test. Across the entire season, the students spent an average of 54.5% of lesson time engaged in MVPA, irrespective of the type of lesson (instruction, free practice, or competition). Conclusions: The results suggest that configuring the key principles of sport education within a unit of fitness is an efficient model for providing students with the opportunity to improve fitness skill and HRF knowledge while attaining recommended levels of MVPA.

I Can Play Too: Disability Awareness Activities for Your Physical Education Class

May/June 2007 Students with disabilities are now more than ever being included in physical education classes. However, most physical educators feel they have not received adequate preparation in their undergraduate programs regarding teaching students with disabilities (Block, 2003). There are many factors that go into providing a positive inclusive setting such as using various teaching styles, understanding the impact of the disability on the student’s abilities, and modifying activities, equipment, and rules to meet the student’s unique needs. In addition to these factors, to promote successful inclusion, it is also important that teachers and students accept students with different abilities, which will aid in promoting a positive learning environment for all (Obrusnikova, Valkova, & Block, 2003). Disability awareness can aid in providing teachers and students with an understanding of the challenges faced by students with different abilities. Simulating a student’s disability can also help teachers modify activities to meet the needs of their students. This article provides suggestions for disability awareness activities that can be used in physical education. Depending on the class size there are various methods that can be used to present disability simulations. For example, in one physical education class, stations can be created for each disability simulation or each disability simulation can be presented one at a time throughout a physical education curriculum. Below are various disabilities, ways to simulate the disability, activities to perform, and debriefi ng questions to ask students after their experience. After you perform the disability awareness activity, it is important to have students refl ect on how they felt while trying to perform the task or skill using the debriefi ng questions. Disability: Limited Range of Motion of Arms (e.g., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy) Simulation: Place a stick behind each arm at the elbow. Wrap an ace bandage or long strips of cloth around each arm to maintain the position of the stick. In addition, on each hand have fi ngertips touching, facing the ceiling, and place tape around the fi ngers. I Can Play Too: Disability Awareness Activities for Your Physical Education Class

Utilization of Collaborations to Engage Children in Physical Activity: A Community-Based Research Approach

Institutions of higher education have a responsibility to prioritize the needs of society and local communities. One essential need prevalent in all communities is to address the rise of obesity and health risks due to lack of participation in physical activity. In the United States, children spend a small percentage of time engaged in physical activity, and engagement decreases further in adolescence and adulthood. Collaborative partnerships between kinesiology faculty at universities and community organizations are one avenue for engaging children in physical activity. Partnerships must be multilevel and community wide to evoke change and have long-term impact and sustainability. Within the context of community-based research, we propose a three-step framework for establishing collaborative partnerships: (1) determining the needs of partners; (2) discussing expertise, services, and philosophy; and (3) providing a quality product. In addition, we outline and illustrate our experiences when collaborating ...