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Devised an instrument to screen for attitudes toward systematic supervisory behavior, perceptions of factors impacting supervision, and beliefs about preferences for and styles of supervision. Surveys of physical education cooperating teachers only found significant results on one subscale: cooperating teachers who coached, taught high school, or did not possess postgraduate degrees had less favorable attitudes toward systematic supervisory behavior. Gender and experience supervising did not differentiate subscale response. (SM)

Proposes religion/religiosity as an alternative determinant for understanding physical activity patterns, using the religion of Judaism as a vehicle for understanding such a relationship. The paper reviews previously investigated determinants, argues for religion as a determinant, and offers a limited agenda for beginning the study of religion and physical activity, noting methodological concerns. (Contains references.) (SM)

Describes a partnership between preservice physical education (PE) teachers and at-risk alternative high school students in which preservice teachers provided PE at the school, where there was no PE faculty or facility. Participant surveys and interviews indicated that the program was very effective, pupils appreciated and enjoyed the program, and preservice teachers valued the experience. (SM)

Describes Developing Capable People, an elementary physical education discipline plan that facilitates positive change in how physical educators manage their gyms and students manage themselves. The premise is that decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, and acceptance of personal responsibility for one's actions are better learned when students actively participate in their own behavior management. (SM)

Over the past 10 years a number of articles pertaining to teaching tennis to elementary and middle school students have appeared (see Resources at the end of this article). These articles have focused on topics such as tactical play, basic skill instruction and drill, teaching progressions, organizational methods, and fitness development. While they provide a solid foundation for planning, instructing, and assessing a developmentally appropriate tennis curriculum, articles that present innovative tennis games and activities appear to be missing. A recent article in TEPE (Lichtman & Avans, 2005) introduced readers to the concept of games hybridization, in which elements from two or more familiar games are blended to create an innovative new game. Based on this premise, five tennis targeting games are presented in this article. They are hybrids of tennis and other sports/activities. A common feature of each game is that play is discontinuous (i.e., rallying is not required); variations in court dimensions, scoring, and how the ball is introduced into play are all at the instructor's discretion. (Contains 1 table, 1 photograph, and 9 resources.)

Background: Physical education (PE) is mandated in most states, but few studies of PE in private schools exist. Methods: We assessed selected PE policies and practices in private secondary schools (grades 6 to 12) in California using a 15-item questionnaire related to school characteristics and their PE programs. Result: Responding schools (n = 450; response rate, 33.8%) were from 37 counties. Most were coeducational (91.3%) and had a religious affiliation (83%). Secular schools had more PE lessons, weekly PE min, and smaller class sizes. Most schools met guidelines for class size, but few met national recommendations for weekly PE minutes (13.7%), not permitting substitutions for PE (35.6%), and programs being taught entirely by PE specialists (29.3%). Conclusions: Private schools, which serve about 5 million US children and adolescents, may be falling short in providing quality PE. School stakeholders should encourage adoption and implementation of policies and practices that abide by professional guidelines and state statutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The thinking-out-loud technique was used to record feedback of 6 cooperating teachers (CT) while they observed their student teachers (ST) teach lessons over the course of the student teaching [...]

This study investigated the impact of renovation and redesign of a university preschool's outdoor space on children's sedentary behavior, light activity, and moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity (MVPA) during unstructured recess. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry and direct observation in two independent samples of 50 (baseline) and 57 (postintervention) children (Mage= 4.4 yrs ± 0.5). Controlling for gender, age, BMI and recess length, observational data, but not accelerometry, revealed a significant decrease in intervals spent sedentary (-26.5%) and increases in light physical activity (+11.6%) and MVPA (+14.9%). Higher levels of MVPA were associated with specific environmental changes (new looping cycle path, OR = 2.18; increased playground open space, OR = 7.62; and new grass hill, OR = 3.27). Decreased sedentary behavior and increased light activity and MVPA may be realized with environmental changes that promote continuous and novel movement experiences in more expansive spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite frequent use of pedometers in interventions targeting youth PA, there is no literature that addresses the prevalence and reasons for protocol nonadherence. Methods: Adherence behaviors of early adolescents (n = 43; Meanage = 12.3 ± 1.0) in an 8-week, faith-based intervention were monitored/recorded. Students provided reasons for various aspects of protocol breach, which were used to develop a post intervention questionnaire. Analyses included calculations of frequency/percentage as well as cross tabulations/chi square to detect gender/age differences. Results: Over the intervention, recording PA in logs decreased by 85% and was attributed to forgetfulness and lack of time. For pedometers, highest-frequency events included error codes (n = 501), incorrect wear (37%, ≥ 1 day), and shaking (58%-69%, ≥ 1 time). Top reasons for shaking were to make up for lost step opportunities and get further along the route. Of permissible stepping strategies, males used ambulatory activity on the playground and stair usage more, while 6th graders used speed stepping in place more than their respective counterparts. Conclusions: Students admit to basal levels of nonadherence, which should be taken into consideration when designing/implementing interventions. Integrating intervention tasks into the regular curriculum and providing sufficient opportunities to perform them may alleviate some barriers to adherence. Future research should attempt to confirm results in other school types/levels as well as quantify these behaviors in free-living or unstructured settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Curriculum interventions aimed at increasing physical activity in schools may prove useful in contexts where changes in policy/environment are not feasible. Design/evaluation of interventions targeting minority groups is important in light of well-publicized health disparities. Religious minorities represent a special subset that may positively respond to interventions tailored to their unique beliefs, which to date have been relatively underreported. Methods: Muslim American youth (n = 45) attending a parochial middle school participated in a religiously- and culturally-tailored 8-wk, interdisciplinary pedometer intervention. Schooltime ambulatory activity was quantified using a delayed multiple-baseline across subjects ABA design. Visual analysis of graphic data as well as repeated-measures ANOVA and ANCOVA and post hoc contrasts were used to analyze step counts including the moderating effects of day type (PE, no-PE), gender, BMI classification, grade, and time. Results: The intervention elicited modest increases in males' steps only with effect decay beginning midintervention. BMI classification and grade were not associated with changes in steps. Conclusions: Full curricular integration by affected classroom teachers, staff modeling of PA behavior, and alternative curriculum for girls' PE classes may further potentiate the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effects of religion or religiosity on physical activity (PA) and sedentary activity (SA) in Jewish adolescents. Measurement of weekend accrual of PA and SA among Jewish adolescents in the western U.S.; Questionnaires used in the study; Factors yielded by analysis of the religiosity items; Inference from the correlation of factor scores with PA and SA.

This case study of a student teacher (ST) and her cooperating teacher (CT) employed an AB[sub 1]B[sub 2]A reversal design over an entire high-school-level student teaching practicum to determine the effect of a two-way, bug-in-the-ear radio device on dyadic intralesson communication characteristics, participant role satisfaction with the device, and attitude toward using the device and additional equipment. Likert-scale, postlesson questionnaires measured participant satisfaction with their roles, the communication, and equipment. An exit interview was conducted to obtain explanations for data trends. Intralesson communication was characterized by its short duration (M = 15.8 s) and low rate (M = 0.25 communications/min). It was predominantly CT-initiated, management oriented, neutral, and specific. And it was balanced between descriptive, prescriptive, and interrogative comments. Analysis of exit interviews revealed three themes to explain characteristics of and responses to communication, and the devices used to elicit it: CT/ST interpersonal and professional compatibility, role clarity, and commitment to perceived role function. The radio device/intervention did not differentiate communication characteristics from baseline or reversal phases; however, participants identified it as a discrete and immediate communication tool that promoted ST “with-it-ness” and autonomy. Key Words: supervision, feedback, intervention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]