Physical Education Teachers' Perceptions of and Strategies for Managing Bullying: The Influence of Socialization.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate how teachers' socialization experiences influence their perceptions of and responses to bullying. Methods: Thirty in-service physical education teachers were recruited to participate. One semi-structured, individual interview was conducted with each participant lasting approximately 60 minutes. Data analysis employed inductive and deductive techniques. Results: Two themes emerged that described teachers' perceptions of and responses to bullying. These themes included: (a) socialization experiences and socializing agents influence teachers' perceptions and behaviors in relation to bullying, and (b) teachers have developed strategies to address bullying but also experience significant challenges. Discussion: The current study suggests that while enrolled in a physical education teacher education program, preservice teachers should be provided greater knowledge about and strategies for addressing bullying. In-service teachers are encouraged to pursue professional development that increases their self-efficacy in managing bullying.

The Contribution of Physical Education to Physical Activity Within a Comprehensive School Health Promotion Program.

Purpose: Little is known about the role of physical education (PE) in a school health promotion model, particularly where wellness is placed at the forefront. The purpose of this study was to understand how PE contributes to the overall amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) that children receive in a school recognized for health promotion. Methods: As part of an in-depth case study, participants in grades 4-8 (N = 105) wore ActiGraph wGT3X+ accelerometers over 7 days to assess activity levels. Data were scored using ActiLife software. Using SPSS statistics software, students were grouped into low, moderate, and high activity through calculating tertile splits of average daily MVPA. Two 2 × 2 ANCOVA (sex x activity level) tests were conducted to determine the ratio of MVPA in PE to school and daily MVPA, controlling for age. Results: Participants accrued 8 min MVPA on average during PE with differences among low (6.4 ± 2.5), moderate (8.3 ± 3.7), and highly active participants (10.1 ± 4.0). ANCOVA analyses revealed non-significant interactions between sex and activity level explaining variance in contribution of PE to school MVPA (F(2, 99) = .235, p = .791, partial ŋ2 = .005) and daily MVPA (F(2, 99) = .299, p = .742, partial ŋ2 = .006), but significant main effects between high and low activity for daily MVPA were observed F(2, 99) = 5.118 p = .008, partial ŋ2 = .094. Conclusions: PE remains a priority in supporting children's PA, particularly for those least active. Despite relatively low levels of MVPA, findings provide rationale for policy change supporting more frequent PE in schools.

State Lawmaker's Views on Childhood Obesity and Related School Wellness Legislation.

BACKGROUND: School wellness legislation has potential to impact the health of children and alter the obesity crisis in the United Sates. Little is known about how state lawmakers perceive child wellness legislation effectiveness relative to obesity prevention. Our purpose was to understand state lawmakers' perceptions of childhood obesity and school wellness policies relative to the Social Ecological Model (SEM). METHODS: Twenty-one state representatives and nine state senators from one US state completed in-depth interviews. Member checks and peer debriefing occurred throughout data collection and analysis. Transcripts were coded and triangulated. A conventional content analysis generated consistent themes. RESULTS: Five main themes developed: (1) child overweight and obesity is problematic; (2) current legislation is ineffective; (3) funding and enforcing child wellness legislation is difficult; (4) it is difficult to legislate personal behavior; and (5) efforts from other levels of the SEM are more effective at promoting wellness. CONCLUSIONS: Lawmakers understand negative impacts of child obesity, but perceive immediate legislative issues like budgetary concerns inhibit robust policy-oriented action. Participants believe parents, guardians, and individuals should ultimately be responsible for child wellness. Community, school, and family efforts to address childhood obesity and support wellness may be more effective in achieving positive outcomes than state and federal policy.

Physical Education Teacher Education Leaders' Perceptions on a National Curriculum in Physical Education.

Purpose: Given criticism of P-12 physical education and wide variability in instructional quality and subject matter outcomes in the United States (US), a national curriculum has been debated by some scholars as a mechanism for improving the status of the subject matter. Grounded in the systemic reform (SR) model, the purpose of this study was to explore physical education teacher education (PETE) leaders' perceptions regarding the implementation of a national curriculum. Method: In total, 28 individuals participated in in-depth interviews that were inductively/deductively coded and triangulated. Results: Themes indicated that nationalizing the curriculum has the potential to offer explicit educational goals, substantial pedagogical guidelines, and valid assessments. Despite recognizing the potential benefits of national curriculum, however, the majority of participants were opposed because of the inflexibility of such a system in the culturally and geographically diverse school contexts across the US. Conclusions: The concept of national curriculum can be differently interpreted in different countries based on sociocultural, historical, and contextual factors, and its relevance depends primarily on one's perceptions and previous experiences.

School Lunch Timing and Children's Physical Activity During Recess: An Exploratory Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between school lunch timing (before vs after recess) on physical activity (PA) during recess and energy balance and food intake at lunch. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to examine lunch intake and PA during recess among fourth- and fifth-graders (n = 103) over 5 school days. Lunch and PA were measured using a weighted plate waste technique and accelerometry, respectively. RESULTS: Children who received lunch before recess accumulated lower residual energy (ie, energy intake at lunch minus energy expenditure during recess) and consumed a greater proportion of milk servings. No timing effects were observed for other lunch and PA variables. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Lunch intake and activity during recess are related to lunch timing policy. Findings warrant further examination using experimental and quasi-experimental studies to better understand the impact of timing on health behaviors.

What's Physical Activity Got to Do With It? Social Trends in Less Active Students at Recess.

BACKGROUND: Public health concerns regarding childhood obesity and sedentary behavior make investigations of children's physical activity (PA) promotion crucial. School recess, a highly discretional time, plays a central role in shaping children's activity preferences. METHODS: Participants included 40 children (30 girls, 10 boys) from fourth and fifth grades, categorized as low active during recess (<26% moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]). PA was measured via accelerometer (Actigraph wGT3X+) and activity choice gauged through a self-report measure over a 3-day period. To assess attitudes and perceptions of recess, individual interviews were conducted. Accelerometer data were analyzed into minutes and percentage of MVPA; interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed utilizing open and axial coding. RESULTS: Participants were active for 18% of recess, choosing activities that were primarily individual-based. Interview data showed low active children attribute recess enjoyment to social interaction and time away from schoolwork as well as an intention to avoid other children who were unkind and/or caused social conflict. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the importance of gaining a child's perspective of their own behavior, particularly those children classified as less active. Findings add a unique contribution to school health research through an innovative, child-centered approach to explore perceptions of PA.

Understanding Teacher Change: A National Survey of U.S. Physical Educators.

Physical education is critical to addressing childhood obesity, yet many school-based programs do not meet established quality standards and teachers are called upon to change. Little is known about how change is initiated and its associated internal and external factors. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate physical education teacher change that was self-initiated and externally initiated and to examine dispositions toward the change process relative to initiation. METHOD: A random national sample of physical educators representing each SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators regional district participated in a survey measuring past programming changes, primary initiators of change, and teachers' dispositions toward change. In total, 2,423 teachers (46% response rate) completed electronic, paper, or telephone questionnaires. RESULTS: Teachers most often made minor curriculum changes, and they added/subtracted student assessments (primarily informal assessments) least often. Self-initiated (bottom-up) change was most frequently (83.1% of the time) reported. Externally initiated (top-down) changes were less frequent and were most often associated with professional development. Teachers reported principals' involvement in both top-down and bottom-up change processes was minimal. Teachers who were more disposed to making future changes reported making significantly (p < .01, η2 = .046-.119) more past changes than those who were less disposed to change. CONCLUSIONS: Physical education teachers primarily self-initiated minor programming changes without involvement from administration. Externally initiated change was infrequent and mostly involved professional development. Dispositions toward change were individual and enduring such that teachers who had made more past changes were more likely to also make future changes.

Association of School-Based Physical Activity Opportunities, Socioeconomic Status, and Third-Grade Reading.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) is the most accurate predictor of academic performance in US schools. Third-grade reading is highly predictive of high school graduation. Chronic physical activity (PA) is shown to improve cognition and academic performance. We hypothesized that school-based PA opportunities (recess and physical education) would moderate the negative association between SES and third-grade reading. METHODS: Schools serving third-grade students were surveyed (N = 1279) for minutes/week of PA opportunities. Allotted weekly PA time and achievement data from participating schools (N = 784) were recorded and analyzed. To test the moderator hypothesis, moderated multiple regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The interaction of PA opportunities and SES explained a significant increase in variance in third-grade reading (b = .053, p < .001), thus moderating the relationship between SES and third-grade reading. Further analysis showed that schools offering greater than 225 minutes/week of PA opportunities experienced a greater (+5%) moderating effect. CONCLUSION: School-based PA opportunities positively moderate the relationship between SES and third-grade reading, and lowest SES schools experience greater moderating effects. Future research should consider PA opportunities as a moderator of the SES-academic achievement relationship, and school policy makers should consider the influence that PA opportunities have on student achievement at varying SES levels.

Sixth-grade physical education: an acculturation of bullying and fear.

PURPOSE: Although bullying is recognized as a serious problem among adolescents, more information is needed regarding bullying within the context of physical education. Grounded in a social-ecological framework, the purpose of this investigation was to discover the perceptions students and teachers have about bullying in physical education and about peer and adult support. METHOD: Data collection included formal and informal interviews with 24 students and 4 teachers and 20 observations of 6th-grade physical education classes in 1 Midwestern school. Data were analyzed using a constant-comparative process. RESULTS: The results indicate that adults acculturate students to support a bullying climate by providing mixed information regarding social interactions, ignoring nonphysical instances of bullying, and promoting inappropriate curricular selections. Participants also report that perceived differences such as appearance, body size, physical ability, and personal attire ignite most episodes of harassment in physical education. Further, students perceive that fear prevents many from (a) reporting instances of bullying to those in authority, (b) assisting bullied friends, and (c) feeling safe in certain physical education locations. Finally, students and teachers report that bullying impacts students' desire to participate in physical education. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, evidence from this investigation suggests that an efficacious support system does not exist for addressing the magnitude of the bullying problem. Although this study provided an initial step toward understanding the social-ecological factors affecting peer harassment in physical education, additional research is warranted.

Variables influencing physical therapists' perceptions of continuing education.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As of October 1, 2002, physical therapy continuing education (CE) in Illinois was mandated. Research examining the recent mandate for physical therapists to engage in CE is limited. The purposes of this study were to examine the perceptions of physical therapist clinicians and managers concerning the barriers to and facilitators of CE and to identify how physical therapists perceive the role of their department in the CE process. SUBJECTS: Participants were 23 physical therapists at 6 hospitals. METHODS: Qualitative methodology was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: negotiating and managing the variables associated with CE, providing and promoting opportunities that meet physical therapists' CE needs, identifying the elements of employment environments that foster CE, and perceived implications of mandating CE. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This investigation highlights the need to identify the core set of variables associated with engaging in CE and to promote the elements of employment environments that foster CE.

Physical therapists' perspectives on the role and effectiveness of continuing education.

Research addressing the perspectives of physical therapists recently mandated to engage in continuing education (CE) is limited. The purpose of this investigation, therefore, was to identify physical therapy clinicians' and managers' views on its role and effectiveness. Participants were 23 physical therapists practicing at six different hospitals in Illinois. Qualitative methodology included participant interviews, document analysis, and field journals. Three major themes were identified: (1) attitudes toward CE and mandatory CE, (2) variables contributing to effective CE experiences, and (3) cautious optimism regarding the role of mandatory CE in the promotion of professional competence. This investigation details the need for evidence-based, clinically relevant, interactive CE presentations; ongoing discussion regarding the plausibility of increased national involvement in CE; and focused attention on overcoming obstacles associated with ineffective CE.