Background: Over the past 20 years, a number of researchers have expressed concern over the lack of confidence and qualifications of primary school teachers to teach PE. Evidently, the influence of personal school PE experiences may play an important role in the development of teachers' confidence to appropriately teach PE. Most research that has examined the effects of biographical experiences in PE on teachers' confidence teaching PE has focused on specialist, rather than non-specialist PE teachers. Purpose: Two major aims of this study were (i) to examine the nature of personal school experiences of non-specialist student and inservice primary teachers and, importantly, the influence of these experiences on their PE teaching confidence and (ii) to analyse the reasons provided by teachers to explain their level of PE teaching confidence. No studies to date have attempted to test a theoretical causal model of this nature using PE teaching confidence as the key dependent variable and personal school experiences in PE as mediating variables. Participants and Setting: Quantitative data were collected from non-specialist student teachers in years 2, 3 and 4 of preservice education (n=386) and inservice (n=53) primary teachers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. The student teacher sample consisted of students studying a double degree majoring in primary education in the second (n = 143), third (n = 127), or fourth year (n = 116) of their higher education at a NSW tertiary institution. Inservice teachers were randomly selected from NSW primary schools from both the state school system and non-state school system. In total, 53 inservice teachers were included from 37 different schools. Research Design: Employed a non-experimental correlational research design with Confidence Teaching PE as the key dependent variable. Data Collection: Largely quantitative data was collected via the administration of a questionnaire which utilised both select-response and open-ended questions. Data Analysis: One-factor congeneric measurement models were utilised in this study to produce estimates of constructs for primary and secondary school PE experiences and commitment to sport and physical activity. Self-perceived levels of confidence were also assessed in the teaching of ten PE content areas. Hypothesised relationships between key variables were tested using multilevel structural equation modelling techniques. Findings: Many respondents' PE experiences included programs that lacked variety and frequency of delivery, were dominated by involvement in 'supervised' games and involved little teaching and learning. Individuals who recalled more negative experiences in school PE were less likely to be involved in physical activity and indicated lower levels of PE teaching confidence than those who had more favourable experiences. Respondents held only a 'moderate' level of confidence in their PE teaching abilities. Results indicated that the quality of an individual's school PE experiences directly predicted his or her confidence to teac...

A major aim of the current study was to determine what classroom teachers perceived to be the greatest barriers affecting their capacity to deliver successful physical education (PE) programs. An additional aim was to examine the impact of these barriers on the type and quality of PE programs delivered. This study applied a mixed-mode design involving data source triangulation using semistructured interviews with classroom teachers (n = 31) and teacher-completed questionnaires (n = 189) from a random sample of 38 schools. Results identified the key factors inhibiting PE teachers, which were categorized as teacher-related or institutional. Interestingly, the five greatest barriers were defined as institutional or out of the teacher's control. The major adverse effects of these barriers were evident in reduced time spent teaching PE and delivering PE lessons of questionable quality.

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The results of this meta-analysis indicate a medium effect size relationship between general physical self-concept, perceived competence and perceived fitness and physical activity in young people. • General physical self-concept, perceived competence and perceived fitness may act as both determinants and outcomes of physical activity behaviour in youth. • Strategies to enhance physical self-perceptions in children and adolescents may assist in efforts to promote physical activity.

Students' proficiency in three object control and three locomotor skills were assessed in 2000 (M age = 10.06 years, SD = 0.63) in New South Wales, Australia and in 2006-07 (M age = 16.44 years, SD = 0.64). In 2006-07, 266 students, 138 girls (51.9%) and 128 boys (48.1%), had at least one skill reassessed. Boys were more object control proficient than girls. Childhood object control proficiency significantly predicted (p = .001) adolescent object control proficiency (r2 = .39), and, while gender was significant (p = .001), it did not affect the relationship between these variables (p = .53). Because childhood object control proficiency is predictive of subsequent object control proficiency, developing skills in childhood is important.