Objectives: In the USA, 18% of school-aged young people are classified as obese, and rural populations appear to be particularly at risk. Achieving high levels of fitness reduces the risk of obesity and underlying health conditions. To better understand youth obesity trends and fitness levels, annual fitness testing ([FT], that is, surveillance) in schools has been recommended. Although many K–12 schools conduct FT, surveillance programmes that compile unified standardised test results are rare. Design: Qualitative design. Setting: Physical education teachers from 11 schools ( n = 13; n = 4 men) participated in remote training about conducting FitnessGram FT. Methods: Data included two semi-structured interviews per teacher on experiences with distance fitness training, implementing FitnessGram, and data entry for annual surveillance. Results: Inductive analysis using axial and open coding identified four themes: (1) barriers prior to study, (2) study training, (3) implementation challenges and suggestions and (4) teacher feedback. Teachers had an interest in FT but lacked the recommended training and equipment needed to implement it annually. Conclusion: Teachers believed the training they received (as part of this study) prepared them to collect reliable and valid data, and that FT had benefits for their students and programmes. Every teacher expressed interest in reporting annual surveillance data. Efforts to train teachers for FT through virtual professional development may be a viable means of establishing a unified surveillance system.
Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) are recommended to support physical education (PE) and increase the amount of physical activity (PA) youth receive each day. However, adoption of CSPAPs in the United States is low. PE teachers are well positioned to lead the implementation of CSPAPs, but research is needed to better understand (a) PE teachers’ confidence to assume the multiple roles involved with CSPAP implementation and (b) the factors that are associated with such confidence. This study examined PE teachers’ role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) as a measure of PE teachers’ CSPAP-related confidence and its association with seminal life experiences as framed within teacher socialization theory. A survey was emailed to a stratified-random sample of 2976 PE teachers and distributed on social media, garnering a total of 259 responses. Exploratory structural equation modeling supported a three-factor solution for teacher socialization variables (acculturation, professional socialization and organizational socialization), in line with the theoretical framework, and a single factor solution for RBSE. Professional socialization and organizational socialization were significant predictors of RBSE, and qualitative data from open-ended survey questions supported these relationships. The results highlight the importance of preservice teacher education and current employment contexts in PE teachers’ CSPAP-related confidence.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand how a service-learning project implementation can help preservice physical education teachers develop physical activity (PA) leadership skills. Methods: A qualitative exploratory single case study was employed, and eight preservice physical education students enrolled in service-learning course were recruited. Data included pre/post self-assessment surveys, reflection journals, individual interviews, and final poster presentations, and were coded using service-learning as a lens. Trustworthiness was established using multiple strategies. Results: Three major themes emerged, each with their own subthemes. Theme 1 was Practical Experience, Theme 2 was Learning to be Leaders, and Theme 3 was Service-Learning. Discussion/Conclusion: The hands-on structure of a service-learning course allowed students to develop PA leadership skills and provided them with the skills and confidence needed to implement expanded PA programs in the future. Service-learning courses are a viable option for PA leadership training in teacher education programs.
Purpose: Utilizing teacher socialization in physical education theory, the aim of this study was to develop a survey to measure physical education teachers’ socialization experiences and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement. Method: Instrument development included a review of existing comprehensive school physical activity program and socialization instruments, Delphi method to evaluate face and content validity through expert feedback, and a pilot test to examine the instrument’s psychometric properties. Results: Upon completion of expert feedback, three items were removed, four items were revised, and open-ended questions were added to each survey construct. The pilot test yielded 28 completed surveys (40% response rate). Bayesian exploratory factor analytic procedures showed that items had statistically significant loadings and were quality measures of the corresponding constructs. Survey subscales had acceptable and high internal consistency coefficients. Discussion/Conclusion: Results suggest that this instrument is a trustworthy tool for continued research examining physical education teachers’ socialization and comprehensive school physical activity program involvement.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.