Using Critical Incident Technique to Investigate Anxiety in Physical Activity Settings.

Physical activity participation is linked with many benefits including a reduction in anxiety; it is, however, also important to explore aspects of activity that incite anxiety. One way to investigate sources of anxiety in physical activity is to use the critical incident technique (CIT). The purpose of this study was to explore anxiety-inducing events in physical activity settings and to evaluate the impact on future behavior. A total of 122 participants (M = 21.23 ± 1.77 years) completed an online survey asking when a physical activity setting incited anxiety using the CIT. Four common sources of anxiety were evident in the responses: fragile self-beliefs, social interaction and the threat of negative social evaluation, competition, and a lack of knowledge or unfamiliarity with surroundings. Tenets from achievement goal theory can help to explain the incitement of anxiety and can help shape physical activity settings to be more inclusive and welcoming for all.

Optimizing the Role of Physical Education in Promoting Physical Activity: A Social-Ecological Approach.

The benefits associated with being physically active are well documented, but a significant proportion of the population is insufficiently active. Physical inactivity is a major health risk factor in our society, and physical education programs are consistently identified as a means to address this concern. The purpose of this article is to use the social-ecological model as a framework to examine ways in which physical education programs can play an important role in promoting physical activity. Policies that require time allocations and resources for physical education and physical activity in schools and community designs that provide infrastructure that makes being physically active accessible and convenient are important factors in making schools and communities healthier spaces. It is clear, however, that policies alone are not sufficient to address concerns about physical inactivity. We must consider individual factors that influence decisions to be physically active in efforts to engage children in physical education programs that promote active lifestyles. The learning climate that teachers create determines what students do and learn in physical education classes. Ensuring that students see value in the content presented and structuring classes so that students believe they can experience success when they exert effort are key elements in an effective motivational climate. Efforts to address public health concerns about physical inactivity require a comprehensive approach including quality physical education. It is critical that kinesiology professionals emerge as leaders in these efforts to place physical education programs at the center of promoting children's physical activity.

Physical education, sports, and gender in schools.

The benefits associated with engaging in regular physical activity are well documented, but a large segment of the population is not sufficiently active. School physical educa tion and sport programs are identified as important components in efforts to promote physical activity. Girls are less active than boys, and there is evidence that physical education programs are not effectively meeting their needs. The focus of this chapter is to examine gender as a construct in the domains of physical education and sport, clarifying the reasons girls tend to be less active and less involved in physical education. Following an historical overview, curricular issues and motivational aspects are considered. Implications are focused on ways that educators can provide positive experiences for all students in physical education and sport that will encourage them to adopt and maintain healthy active lifestyles and enhance their quality of life across the life span.

Effective teaching in physical education: using transportation metaphors to assess our status and drive our future.

In our reflection on Rink's (2013), McKenzie and Lounsbery's (2013), and Ward's (2013) characterizations of effective teaching in physical education (PE), 2 themes emerged that permeate these diverse perspectives: policy and accountability. In our commentary, we focus our initial discussion on the implications that policy and accountability have on effective teaching in PE. A thread running through this discussion is the feasibility of promoting effective teaching in the context of current policy and demands for accountability. We provide an argument that school PE is in peril and draw parallels to previous commentaries of research on teaching. We conclude with comments highlighting steps that have the potential to revitalize school PE as a core element in school curricula. We argue that if school PE is to survive, it is critical that we advocate for policies that promote and support quality daily PE. To do that, we must convince decision makers that PE makes a valuable contribution to the school curriculum using data-based evidence. We must also recruit quality students into PE teacher education programs who are dynamic leaders in schools and communities. Finally, researchers in effective teaching in PE must make meaningful contributions to the broader field and work with interdisciplinary research teams to address issues related to promoting physical activity through education.

What are the benefits of a commercial exergaming platform for college students? Examining physical activity, enjoyment, and future intentions.

BACKGROUND: Traditional videogames contribute to sedentary behaviors; in contrast, exergaming is a relatively new concept that uses videogames to promote exercise during game play. Nintendo Wii Fit is a commercially popular exergaming platform geared toward improving fitness, however, limited empirical evidence related to the physical and mental benefits of the Wii Fit platform currently exist. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate possible physical and motivational benefits of Nintendo Wii Fit. METHODS: A repeated measures design was used with 30 college-aged students to explore physical activity, enjoyment, and future intentions of physical activity associated with Wii Fit exergames. RESULTS: Data supported the efficacy of Wii Fit Basic Run to consistently produce moderate to vigorous physical activity across participants. Future intentions were higher for exergaming compared with generic exercise and obese individuals enjoyed exergaming more than generic physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The Basic Run Wii Fit game provided opportunities for accumulating moderate to vigorous physical activity that provided motivational benefits to these participants, especially those classified as obese. Future research should examine the ability of Wii Fit exergames to produce physical activity and motivation over time.

Teachers' and students' conceptions of ability in elementary physical education.

Using Nicholl's (1989) and Dweck 's (1999, 2002) theories on ability as conceptual frameworks, this study explored teachers' and students' conceptions of ability in elementary physical education. Participants were 8 physical education specialists from five public schools and 160 students from their second- and fourth-grade classes. Teacher and student interviews and questionnaires were used for data collection. When asked to describe the "best" and "poorest" students in their physical education classes, teachers defined or referenced student status solely in terms of class behavior and effort, such as participation and working hard. In contrast, students primarily used ability-related indicators, such as task mastery and social comparison along with class behavior as criteria of their own ability. Overall, teachers and students had different views of "good" students in elementary physical education. In an era of standards-based learning and accountability in education, teachers may need to focus more on a task-involved climate by taking into account student learning and achievement.

"...lf I had a choice, I would..." a feminist poststructuralist perspective on girls in physical education.

A significant number of studies evidence girls' lack of participation in physical education. This study used feminist poststructuralism to examine the ways in which high school girls participated in or resisted physical education. Using qualitative research methods, researchers collected field notes, informal interviews, and formal interviews with the teacher and 15 female students. In contrast to previous studies, girls in this study enjoyed and valued physical activity. As active agents, they chose to participate in or resist specific physical activities through their negotiations of gender relations. Physical education classes emerged as a contested terrain in which girls supported the notion of equal opportunity in physical activity but perceived limits on their choices in physical education as compared to male peers.

Pedagogy research through the years in RQES.

This paper examines the growth in research on teaching, curriculum, and teacher education in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, describing how this body of work has evolved over the past 75 years. The research stream progressed from "expert" discourses about what physical education should be to scientific approaches that have generated a body of knowledge based on evidence rather than beliefs. Investigations focused on the teaching and learning process have evolved to provide research-based benchmarks for designing teacher education programs and evaluating instruction as well as informing effective teaching practice. We advocate for a broad view of pedagogy and argue that pedagogical researchers can make an important contribution to efforts to increase levels of physical activity through interdisciplinary projects.

The influence of gender-related beliefs and conceptions of ability on women learning the hockey wrist shot.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability on perceived and actual competene and patterns of behavior during practice of the hockey wrist shot. Sixty-eight undergraduate women formed four treatment conditions based on their beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability. Four teachers taught across the treatment conditions for a total of 16 learning groups. Data were collected through a three-part questionnaire and from audio-video taping of the entire episode to ascertain the paticipants' competency beliefs, effort, and performance. Gender appropriateness impacted the participants' perceptions of competence and actual performance in the study, while beliefs about conceptions of ability did not produce a significant difference. This study reaffirms that educators must work diligently to combat the stereotypical beliefs many hold with respect to the gender appropriateness of physical activities.