Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Project Questions
1. How do elementary school administrators,
teachers, and parents perceive the level of
importance of physical education with
regard to the five National Standards?
2. What do elementary school administrators,
teachers, and parents believe to be the
purpose of elementary physical education
and what do they believe that elementary
school students should be able to know
and do as a result of participating in
physical education during his or her
elementary years?
Methods
Conclusion
Participants/Setting
Whittier International Elementary School (Title 1), Boulder, CO
1 Administrator (Principal)
23 Classroom teachers
118 Parents of K-5th grade students
Instrumentation
Perceptions of Elementary Physical Education from
Administrators, Teachers and Parents
Open Ended Questions (1 & 7)
1, What do you believe is the purpose of physical education at the elementary level (K5)?
7. What do you think students should be able to know or do as a result of physical
education at the elementary level?
Likert-Scale Questions (2-6)
1-Not at all important 2-Not very important 3-Somewhat important 4-Very important
2. Students demonstrate proficiency in a variety of motor skills & movement patterns
3. Students apply knowledge of concepts, strategies & tactics related to movement &
performance
4. Students demonstrate knowledge and skills to achieve & maintain a healthy, active
lifestyle
5. Students exhibit responsible personal & social behavior that respects self & others.
6. Students recognize the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge,
self-expression &/or social interaction
Analysis
Quantitative data analyzed with measures of central tendency for Likert-scale
questions
Qualitative data analyzed with open (develop categories of concepts and themes) and
axial (building connections within categories) coding (Strauss & Corbin, 1998)
Results
All participants reported moderately positive perceptions of importance of
national PE standard content in elementary PE:
Administrator: M = 3.6, SD = .54
Teachers: M = 3.8, SD = .25
Parents : M = 3.68, SD = .34
Major themes for the Purpose of PE: Sportsmanship and Cooperation, Fun and
Enjoyment, Health and Wellness, Healthy Lifestyles, Release of Energy,
Exercising and Being Active and Participating in Sports
Major themes for what students should know/do as a result of Elementary
PE: Rules, Fun and Enjoyment, Health and Healthy Lifestyles, Participating in
Games, Participating in Sports, Physical Activity, and Problem Solving
Selected References
Burgeson, C. R. (2004). Physical educations critical role in educating the whole child &
reducing childhood obesity. Retrieved from http://www.aahperd.org/naspe
/publications/teachingTools/upload/EducatingtheWholeChild_NASBE.pdf.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and
procedures for developing grounded theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Williams, N. F. (1996). The physical education hall of shame: Part III: Inappropriate
teaching practices. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 67(8), 45Retrieved from http://home.comcast.net/~physedteacher
/QualityPE/HallofShame3.pdf.
48.