The Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) will help school districts conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of written physical education curricula, based upon national physical education standards. The PECAT is customizable to include local standards. The results from the analysis can help school districts enhance…

For nearly 20 years the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has been conducting the Shape of the Nation Report every few years to summarize information for the profession and the public regarding the status of physical education in the American educational system. The preeminent national authority on physical education…

Adventure racing is a multidisciplinary endurance test completed in teams. There seem to be many benefits in using an adventure race as part of a physical education curriculum. The races can also be linked to many national physical education standards. Adventure Racing C.O.R.E. uses the basic ideas of adventure racing and can be done at any school…

Describes the essential link among content standards, curriculum, instruction, professional development, and assessment in elementary physical education, discussing the National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards for physical education and emphasizing the importance of assessment in monitoring student progress, improving…

Discusses how physical activity homework can be used to meet the national standards for physical education and teach students how to pursue a physically active lifestyle outside of school. The paper highlights how one elementary school uses this type of homework. A physical activity homework calendar and a sample skill-practice homework sheet are…

The new electronic submission format for NCATE accreditation requires colleges and universities to present six to eight assessments that demonstrate whether their teacher candidates meet NASPE's beginning teacher standards. Programs must submit a description of the assessment, the scoring rubric used to judge the assessment, and candidate…

Describes how the Spectrum Teaching Styles can help physical educators develop an instructional environment that allows learners to meet the national content standards for physical education while providing learners with a quality educational experience. The paper discusses the development and use of the Spectrum and the development of…

A methodology that has not received as much attention in the physical education setting as in other subject areas is cooperative learning. Cooperative learning has been used for many years in math, science, and history, but not until recently has the concept been applied to physical education. Research conducted on cooperative learning has shown…

The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) is a randomized, multicenter field trial in middle schools that aims to reduce the decline of physical activity in adolescent girls. To inform the development of the TAAG intervention, two phases of formative research are conducted to gain information on school structure and environment and on the…

Interviews with over 200 parents, educators, and students examined the impact of efforts by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to impose high school course standards. The article describes a growing national challenge to NCAA policies and procedures that have delayed or blocked many high school students from participating in…

This article focuses on standards specific to Domain 3: Physical Preparation and Conditioning of the National Standards for Sport Coaches (NASPE, 2004b). It discusses program design concepts that coaches can apply to prepare athletes for the demands of their sport, and is based on both research and best professional practice. Sport preparation has…

Physical educators can infuse fitness concepts, teach exercise science, and increase activity in their lessons all at the same time. The videotaped lesson is reviewed in terms of its value in developing health- and skill-related fitness, and in relation to the national standards for physical education. (Contains 1 table.)

This conference paper focuses on how to motivate elementary students toward NASPE standards. It includes integrated physical education lesson plans based on the the NASPE standards and provides tips for assessment. (AD)

Describes benefits of and challenges to achieving the national standards for physical education by using the Spectrum reciprocal style of teaching, discussing how it can be linked to all seven of the national standards for physical education and how all three of the learning domains (psychomotor, cognitive, and social) have some connection, with…

Over the course of the last several decades, advances in the Internet and media have brought distant parts of the globe closer together. It is now possible to email, chat with, and offer web-based classes or conferences to colleagues and students from all over the world. As this occurs, it is becoming increasingly possible for physical educators…