Examining the Role Clarity, Ability, and Training Needs of Paraeducators Supporting Students With Disabilities in Physical Education Settings

Paraeducators are often utilized in physical education environments to assist instructors as well as students with disabilities; however, there is little research on the utilization of these professionals within this setting. This study explored paraeducators’ perceived roles and competencies in physical education from the perspectives of both paraeducators and physical educators. This study was conducted with physical educators and paraeducators serving as participants and completing a content-validated survey on the various roles typically assumed by paraeducators when assisting in physical education classes. Data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and t tests, and differences between physical educators and paraeducators were identified. Results indicated these key findings: (1) There was a significant difference in the perception of role clarity of paraeducators between participant groups, (2) there was a significant difference in the perception of role ability of paraeducators between participant groups, and (3) there was not a significant difference between groups in terms of the training needs of paraeducators specific to physical education. Using the results of this study, physical educators and paraeducators can work together to provide the best learning environment possible within physical education for students with disabilities and within the working environment for both physical educators and paraeducators.

Reconnecting Dance and Physical Education through Dance Science

This article traces the development of dance as an academic discipline from its infancy in physical education programs to its present state, noting the significance of the burgeoning field of dance science and how it is a catalyst for the reconnecting of dance to physical education. The academic discipline of dance originated in the early 20th century in American academe, particularly in women’s physical education programs. By the 1920s, dance emerged as a discrete discipline with Margaret H’Doubler’s founding of the first baccalaureate degree in dance at the University of Wisconsin. By the 1960s, the academic discipline of dance had shifted from its original mission of movement education for everyone to focus more on professional dance training for highly skilled performers. This philosophical shift saw many dance programs move from homes in physical education to the fine arts. During this time, dance also saw an increasing disciplinary emphasis on choreographic and performance projects, a trend still evident today. Dance science began to develop as an academic field in the early 1980s, and shortly after publications and conferences in the area were born. The professional association the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science was founded in 1990. With dance science’s emergence, dance and physical education began to realign, albeit often in departments of kinesiology. Today, with the development of dance science as a burgeoning field, dance and kinesiology are coming full circle, rejoining through their historical roots.

Music as a Management Tool in Elementary Physical Education: A Qualitative Investigation

Classroom management is an important aspect for a K–12 teacher in any content area. The same applies in physical education (PE). In PE, there are large spaces, students are moving, and in many cases, equipment (basketballs, rackets, Hula-Hoops, etc.) is involved, thus making PE a unique challenge in regard to classroom management for PE teachers. One tool an elementary PE teacher can use for classroom management is music. For this study, one school administrator, 19 elementary-aged students, and one PE teacher were interviewed about their perceptions of music as a management tool in elementary PE. Findings indicate that students prefer music as a management tool rather than the PE teacher using a whistle or loud voice.

What I Learned as a Physical Educator

All professions foster an identity among practitioners. Physical education is no different. How this identify influences and is expressed throughout one’s life and lifestyle is a topic not seen in our literature. In this essay, I provide a perspective for those entering as well as those engaged in the profession to reflect on the scope of being a physical educator. I’ll start with my beginning in the profession.

Reconnecting Youth to Nature: A Camp on Campus Model

Day camps are a powerful context for youth development. The American Camp Association and Leave No Trace have been integral in supporting youth development by identifying outcomes associated with participation in outdoor recreation. Recreation majors in the programming class used the camp as a service-learning component of the class that offered them valuable hands-on experience in program design, program facilitation, working with youth, and program evaluation. Therefore, this study evaluated the impact of camp on identified youth outcomes. The outdoor recreation camp was a partnership from a private school and local university. The Youth Outcomes Battery provided measures that focus on common outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). Thirty-one of the 32 campers completed the retrospective questionnaire. The sample was 61% female, with an average age of 9 years. On a scale of 1 to 10, campers scored a 9.32 on Level of Enjoyment. Findings show that over 50% of the campers learned “a little” or “a lot” about the desired outcomes (e.g., affinity for nature). This work provides an example of an evidence-based nature camp.

Adventure and Games for Diabetes Prevention

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diabetes prevention represents a critical need for the health education curriculum, given the rise of the disease and its precondition for today’s youth. An active understanding of diabetes encourages young people to take control of the nutritional and exercise factors that keep the disease in check. When teachers use experiential activities, or “adventure” education, students perform tasks that illustrate conceptual content and reinforce learning. Research has found that current modalities to be successful but lacking the physicality to meet the recommendations of the American Heart Association and the Society of Health and Physical Educators. Games such as Toll Road Boogie; Tom and Jerry, or Insulin and Sugar; Wacky Receptor; and Tusker Monster, or Fat Cell Tag help children meet the 60 min of physical activity that are required most days of the week. This article offers several examples of how to design and implement games and incentives into lessons that are both enjoyable and illustrative of diabetes prevention-based education for ages 8 to 18.

Sport Management: Who We Are and Where We Are Going

Due to the popularity of sport, the need to have sport management programs that properly train practitioners is justified (Pedersen & Thibault, 2014). However, with 505 sport management bachelors programs worldwide (“Degrees in Sports,” n.d.) housed in various academic units, there is little consistency within the field of study. This paper strives to explore the field of sport management and to better understand sport management faculty members’ perceptions of the discipline. Grounded in Foucault’s (1971) theory of discourse, total of 154 sport management faculty members worldwide participated in the study. The data revealed there is a lack of consistency within the field regarding faculty members’ perceptions of sport management. This study offers a vital, first step in an empirical examination of a critical phenomenon in the sport management academy.