Background: Few youth engage in sufficient daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and the likelihood of meeting guidelines declines through secondary school. Physical education (PE) can afford youth with opportunities for MVPA. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of changes in PE enrollment on MVPA and…

The primary aim of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate differences in enjoyment and need for cognition between regular physical education and a Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) unit by level (higher or lower) of intention to enroll in physical education. A sample of 71 ninth-grade physical education students completed a survey…

Two weeks into a new academic school year, a physical education (PE) class of 25 grade nine girls completed a survey relative to their previous PE experiences. Following the completion of a six-lesson territorial games unit using the six-step teaching game for understanding (TGfU) model taught by a guest certified female teacher with TGfU…

This case study served to investigate six adolescent girls', who were identified as disengaged in physical education (PE), feelings about their experiences in a Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) unit and how TGfU might support their engagement in PE. A two-week (6-lesson) TGfU territorial games unit was taught by a guest instructor. Data…

Background: Noteworthy proportions of adolescents--particularly females--report negatively about their experiences regarding fitness and the testing of it during physical education (PE). These accounts often coincide with lower levels of body image, fitness, motivation, and physical activity and higher rates of attrition from optional PE. Purpose:…

There has been much international concern about the present and future status of school physical education. Recent research has employed surveys or case studies to examine the status of physical education but there is a dearth of in-depth physical education curriculum document analysis. The aim of this study is to contribute to the international…

Epistemic beliefs are deeply held convictions about the nature of knowledge, knowing, and learning. In this study, approximately 500 ninth and tenth-grade physical education (PE) students completed fitness-specific measures assessing their epistemic beliefs in the simplicity and stability of knowledge and the speed of its acquisition along with…

Background: This study examined differences in students' time spent in physical activity (PA) across secondary schools in rural, suburban, and urban environments and identified the environment-level factors associated with these between school differences in students' PA. Methods: Multilevel linear regression analyses were used to examine the…

Increasing dropout rates in senior high school physical education, particularly among females, and unhealthy activity and obesity levels in youth have led to recommendations to assess potential contributing factors in physical education participation. Drawing from gender, body image, and social-cognitive theory, this study investigated relations…