Positioning Australia’s contemporary health and physical education curriculum to address poor physical activity participation rates by adolescent girls

2016 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 925-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Usher ◽  
Allan Edwards ◽  
Laura Cudmore
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Participation Rates ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Health And Physical Education ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Effective Pedagogy ◽  
Strong Position

Background: Given the wealth of research identifying how schools are in a strong position to promote physical activity (PA) among children, it would be reasonable to suggest that initial experiences of physical education and school sport are critical factors influencing whether a student will develop a healthy relationship to PA. However, research in Australia equally identifies how secondary school-aged young people are increasingly failing to meet national guidelines concerning PA levels and participation rates, with adolescent girls displaying the most disturbing trends. Purpose: This paper examines how the recent Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) Health and Physical Education (HPE) structure aims to address such concerns as poor PA levels and participation rates by adolescent girls. Methods: A theoretical approach, consisting of document and literature analysis, was undertaken to develop insights into the current developments surrounding the ACARA HPE implementation, in an attempt to address identified socio-cultural issues within contemporary HPE practices. Such an approach is aimed at heightening effective pedagogy. Conclusion: This paper provides a vision for supporting future student inclusion in HPE, by acknowledging potential barriers to the adoption of PA by adolescent girls and identifying strategies that will collectively promote curriculum priorities and classroom practices accordingly.

Classroom teachers’ and administrators’ views of teaching health and physical education

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 448-464
Author(s):  
Dominique Banville ◽  
Ben Dyson ◽  
Pamela H Kulinna ◽  
Michalis Stylianou
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Health And Physical Education ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand

Teacher efficacy influences what and how they teach. This may be particularly important to consider in Aotearoa New Zealand contexts where primary classroom teachers teach health and physical education and use physical activity breaks with little training. It remains unclear how classroom teachers perceive this role and how to better support them. The purpose of this study was to investigate classroom teachers’ and administrators’ views of teaching health and physical education, including physical activity behaviours, in primary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Participants were 10 teachers and three administrators from two schools selected as a purposive sample. Data were collected through formal interviews, field notes, and photographs, and were analysed using inductive analysis and constant comparison. The findings are shared using four themes: (a) support for physical activity breaks; (b) support for curriculum content in health and physical education and ‘Kiwi’ sport culture; (c) teachers’ influence level; and (d) school environment. Overall, teachers and administrators felt very efficacious in their roles of creating healthy and active schools. These teachers also appeared to be confused regarding the difference between physical education, sport, and physical activity. They did feel, however, that instructional self-efficacy could be improved through enhanced content and pedagogy taught in teacher education programmes, and increased opportunities for professional learning and development. Potentially, this could lead to more time spent teaching the health and physical education content as well as a greater focus on the national curriculum for health and physical education being taught in Aotearoa New Zealand.

scholarly journals Using School-Level Interviews to Develop a Multisite PE Intervention Program

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey G. Moe ◽  
Julie Pickrel ◽  
Thomas L. McKenzie ◽  
Patricia K. Strikmiller ◽  
Derek Coombs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Middle Schools ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
The United States ◽  
Formative Research ◽  
School Level

The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) is a randomized, multicenter field trial in middle schools that aims to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls. To inform the development of the TAAG intervention, two phases of formative research are conducted to gain information on school structure and environment and on the conduct of physical education classes. Principals and designated staff at 64 eligible middle schools were interviewed using the School Survey during Phase 1. The following year(Phase 2), physical education department heads of the 36 schools selected into TAAG were interviewed. Responses were examined to design a standardized, multicomponent physical activity intervention for six regions of the United States. This article describes the contribution of formative research to the development of the physical education intervention component and summarizes the alignment of current school policies and practices with national and state standards.

Impact of National Physical Activity and Health Guidelines and Documents on Research on Teaching K-12 Physical Education in U.S.A.

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weidong Li ◽  
Zan Gao ◽  
Zhihua Yin ◽  
Ping Xiang ◽  
Bo Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Surgeon General ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Research On Teaching ◽  
Comprehensive Search ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
National Physical Activity

Purpose:This study examined the impact of published national physical activity (PA) and health guidelines, documents, and initiatives on the evolution of research on teaching K-12 physical education (PE) in U.S.A. from 1996 to October 2013.Methods:A total of 262 peer-reviewed, data-based journal articles meeting our inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified through a comprehensive search. These articles were coded and the resulting data were analyzed.Results and Discussions:The findings showed that 41% (108 out of 262) of articles had cited these identified guidelines, documents and Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) reports. In particular, the most frequently cited documents were Healthy People documents, the 1996 Report of Surgeon General, and CDC reports and studies. The citation of these guidelines, documents and CDC reports fluctuated over the years. Our findings also showed that among the research studies citing these national documents and reports, 56% of them focused on students’ PA/fitness, while only a few studies focused on students’ psycho-motor skills and game performance. The majority of the studies reviewed were nonexperimental quantitative studies while 10% using randomized control trials or randomized group control trials design.Conclusion:The results revealed a substantial proportion of articles cited national guidelines, initiatives and CDC study reports. These guidelines and documents have had some impact on the evolution of research on teaching K-12 PE.

scholarly journals ‘Am I able? Is it worth it?’ Adolescent girls’ motivational predispositions to school physical education: Associations with health-enhancing physical activity

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Fairclough ◽  
Toni Hilland ◽  
Gareth Stratton ◽  
Nicola Ridgers
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Health Enhancing Physical Activity ◽  
Future School ◽  
Activity Questionnaire

The study purpose was to investigate predictive associations between adolescent girls’ motivational predispositions to physical education (PE) and habitual physical activity. Two hundred girls (age 13.1 ± 0.6 years) completed the Physical Education Predisposition Scale and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. ANCOVAs revealed that girls with the highest Perceived PE Worth and Perceived PE Ability scores were the most habitually active groups ( p < .0001). Significant predictors of physical activity identified by hierarchical regression were Perceived PE Ability and body mass index, which accounted for 17% and 3% of variance, respectively. As Perceived PE Ability was strongly associated with physical activity, the correlates of this construct should be further established to inform future school and PE-based interventions.

The Status of High School Online Physical Education in the United States

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Newman Daum ◽  
Craig Buschner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
United States ◽  
High School ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physical Education Teachers ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
The Status

Online learning is changing the educational landscape despite the limited empirical research and conflicting results about its effectiveness to produce student learning. The purpose of this study was to describe the status of online physical education (OLPE) in the United States. Surveys were sent to forty-five high school online physical education teachers and thirty-two were completed, producing a 71% response rate. Three-fourths of the online physical education teachers focused on a fitness curriculum with emphasis on the cognitive domain. Likewise, it was found that almost three-fourths of the OLPE courses did not meet the national guidelines for secondary schools, of 225 min of PE per week. Most of the courses required physical activity three days per week while six courses required no physical activity. Teachers expressed support, hesitation, and even opposition toward online physical education. This study initiates a descriptive database for future research studies regarding online physical education.

scholarly journals Editorial: Sport, health and physical education special edition

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Murray Drummond
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Research Group ◽  
Special Edition ◽  
School Of Education ◽  
Health And Physical Education ◽  
Student Wellbeing ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Physical Activity Programs

This special edition of the Journal of Student Wellbeing emerges out of the Sport, Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) conference held at Flinders University in 2010. The conference was organised and run by the SHAPE research group, which is located within the School of Education at Flinders University. It was designed to bring together national and international academics to share their research and knowledge around children’s health and wellbeing within the context of sport, health and physical education settings. Approximately 150 delegates attended. The conference themes were divided into four key areas: (i) physical activity research, (ii) physical activity programs in schools, (iii) nutrition education and (iv) physical education. The papers within this special edition are indicative of the presentations conducted by a number of the presenters at the conference.

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