The purpose of our study was to assess the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of the 30 sec Sit to Stand test in a sample of adolescents. We recruited 30 male (58%) and 22 female (42%) participants (mean age = 15.77 years ± 0.46). Participants completed the 30-sec Sit to Stand and standing long jump tests on two occasions separated by…

Due to the lack of tools that can be easily used by practitioners, there is a need to develop acceptable embedded ways to assess children's fine motor skill development within early childhood education and care settings. This study examined the validity and reliability of a brief and ecologically valid fine motor assessment tool for preschool-aged…

Background: Previous research suggests that children with or at risk of probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD) activate different areas of the brain when performing certain motor skills compared with typically developing (TD) children. This study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to compare prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in…

The typical process for assessing inter-rater reliability is facilitated by training raters within a research team. Lacking is an understanding if inter-rater reliability scores "between" research teams demonstrate adequate reliability. This study examined inter-rater reliability between 16 researchers who assessed fundamental motor…

Background: Children can internalise social and parental gender stereotypes and this may influence their perceived motor competence (PMC). This study aimed to examine the association between father and daughter gender-stereotyped attitudes/beliefs and girls' PMC. Methods: Girls (N = 68, M[subscript age]= 8.9 years, SD = 1.7) and their fathers were…

The nature play movement has gained global attention, as early childhood spaces have been transforming from manufactured playgrounds to incorporating nature-based play spaces with a focus on natural elements and features. Despite the growing evidence base indicating that nature play is beneficial for children's health and development, there…

The purpose of this study was to explore the manner in which Australian National Rugby League (NRL) referees developed their craft. Craftmanship represents an enduring, basic human impulse, related to the desire to do a job well for its own sake (Sennett, R. (2008). Prologue: Man as his own maker. In R. Sennett (Ed.), "The craftsman"…

Competency in fundamental movement skills (FMS) lays the foundation for developing more complex motor skills and supporting a physically active future. Preschool-aged children are at a crucial window of development, so intervening with motor skill programmes increases the likelihood of future physical activity (PA) participation. Parents/carers…

This paper overviews the influence of Daryl Siedentop on Australian physical education research. The Sport Education in Physical Education Project (SEPEP) project provides the backdrop to explore the re-contextualization and development of the sport-based physical education in Australia. The SEM emphasizing developing movement competency as one of…

The aim of this review was to systematically summarize the literature about physical education (PE) programs and their effects on preschool children's physical activity levels and motor, cognitive, and social competences. A systematic search of relevant articles was carried out using four electronic databases up until February 16, 2022. The main…

This study aimed to explore the rates of motor difficulties in children from the Australian Autism Biobank, and how early motor concerns impacted on children functionally. Children with autism aged 2-7 years, including 441 with a Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS-II) motor subscale and 385 with a Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) fine…

Purpose: To refine a motor competence assessment app prototype, enabling its redesign. Method: Workshops were conducted to inform the prototype development. App's usability was evaluated on its ability to communicate relevant information to the teachers (n = 9). A "think out loud" protocol was applied by the users. Results: Both…

Purpose: Teachers are important stakeholders in supporting children's physical literacy (PL), yet teachers' perception of PL assessment is underexplored. Method: Utilizing a mixed-methods design, 122 primary school teachers (of children aged 5-12 years) in Australia completed an online survey, followed by nine interviews. Results: Teachers who…

This study aimed to examine associations between gross motor skills and executive functions (EF) in a large sample of Australian preschool-aged children. Of 566 children (mean age = 3.2 ± 0.4 years, 51.2% girls), locomotor, object control, and total skill competence were significantly associated with visual spatial working memory and inhibition (p…

Dysphagia (impaired swallowing) is known to contribute to decreased quality of life, and increased length of hospital stay and mortality post-stroke. Despite the advancements in stroke treatment with the introduction of thrombolysis and endovascular clot retrieval (ECR), patients continue to present with high rates of dysphagia. Speech and…