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Assessment for learning (AFL) is a pedagogical approach that enhances student learning outcomes through high-quality feedback. This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating the feedback loop model (FLM) with AFL to improve students' engagement and understanding of physics, specifically in kinematics and motion dynamics. The study employs a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative data to assess the impact of the FLM-based AFL approach. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used, supported by research instruments that measured student engagement and their conceptual grasp of physics. The findings indicate that integrating FLM into AFL led to significant improvements, evidenced by Cohen's effect size of 1.91, highlighting a substantial impact on student learning. These results affirm that FLM-based AFL positively affects student engagement and understanding of physics. The study contributes to the existing research on effective assessment methods, providing valuable insights for educators and policymakers in developing enhanced assessment and teaching strategies. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of incorporating FLM-based AFL in diverse educational settings to elevate student learning experiences and outcomes.

This qualitative case study examined 11 teaching assistants' (TAs) awareness of the need to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy into undergraduate level courses. The TAs represented the fields of political science, history, English, psychology, world languages, and kinesiology at one public university. One-on-one interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed utilizing six phase thematic analysis. Interactive analysis and coding provided a system to examine the data, generate initial codes, and subsequently review, define, and report on the themes that emerged. Results suggest the TAs interviewed had not been adequately prepared to infuse culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) with instruction.

This study investigates the impact of Project-Based Learning (PBL) with an emphasis on statistics on 26 Kinesiology students from a prominent Chilean university. A mixed-methodological approach was employed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of data collected through surveys, supplementary interviews, and performance evaluations of these students. Furthermore, group grades during the project execution were examined. The correlation between academic performance and the perception of learning through this method was explored. The results indicate a generally favorable assessment of PBL, emphasizing its contribution to the development of statistical and scientific skills, as well as improvement in academic performance, with the option to incorporate additional methods to cater to different student needs. It is concluded that PBL is a potential pedagogical strategy that promotes active engagement in learning and the development of practical skills relevant to health sciences students in Chile.

This qualitative dissertation aimed to understand if an after-school kinesiology service-learning program changed the relationship between a large Research I institution and a local public school. Eight 7th- and 8th-grade students, three classroom teachers, and one administrator participated. Data collection methods included semistructured individual interviews, observational field notes, and reflective memos. Findings suggested that school staff perceived a positive relationship between the university and the school district but a complicated one between the university and the city. Participating teachers and school leaders believed the service-learning program positively impacted their students and helped strengthen the relationship between the university and the school. The study also highlighted the importance of effective communication in university-school partnerships and uncovered challenges in communication concerning the service-learning program. The middle school students perceived benefits from receiving academic support, and school participants felt that the relationships formed between the university and middle school students were impactful.

The following case study presents an approach to teaching research courses in undergraduate exercise science programs. Research courses are commonly required in the curriculum for this degree. Service learning (SL) is an effective way to promote student learning outcomes (SLOs) by providing hands-on experience for the students, and should be considered in exercise science research courses. Quantitative and qualitative survey results from students over two semesters of SL in an exercise science course are presented.

This study investigated the perception of role model attributes of women and men sport professors, how these attributes influence the choice of academic role models, and how such role models affect career objectives. The study draws on social cognitive (career) theory. Data were collected with a quantitative online survey (N = 792) targeted at major students (under- and postgraduate [n = 515], doctoral [n = 122]), and faculty members (postdoc researchers [n = 43] and professors [n = 112]), in sport management/economics/sociology or a general sports-science program in different countries. Data were analyzed by mean comparisons and regression analyses. The results suggest that women perceive women professors as more competent and as better teachers. Women perceive more similarity with women professors, and the intention to imitate the role model seems to influence both women and men in their role model choice. Women's interest in an academic career is positively impacted by women and men role models, while men's career objectives are only influenced by men professors. Implications of the study are that the applied theoretical framework is appropriate for investigating both women's and men's role models and career objectives. Furthermore, the study helps academic policymakers and sport faculty members to understand the importance of professors as role models.

This study documented the associations and variability of four prestige metrics for kinesiology-related journals. Four prestige metrics for the year 2022 were collected from three database services for 334 kinesiology-related journals. The prestige measures were highly skewed and had large variability, with medical journals having the highest values. There were strong nonlinear and heteroscedastic associations between all four prestige indicators, however rankings of top 10% journals based on these metrics had considerable disagreement between metrics. The substantial variability of journal prestige metrics was larger than the variation previously reported for scholar subjective perceptions of journal prestige. The prestige metrics provided inconsistent and unrealistically precise estimates of kinesiology journal prestige. Great care should be exercised in interpreting prestige metrics and scholar perceptions of journal prestige in diverse disciplines like kinesiology.

Institutionalized oppression experienced by marginalized groups is central to post-secondary education and, if left unchallenged, will remain pervasive within academia (Lincoln, Y. S., & Stanley, C. A. (2021). The faces of institutionalized discrimination and systemic oppression in higher education: Uncovering the lived experience of bias and procedural inequity. "Qualitative Inquiry", 10778004211026892). Emerging literature that examines discrimination and oppression in kinesiology has focused on the consequences of privileging Western, Eurocentric knowledge and scholarship. (Andrews, D. L., Silk, M., Francombe, J., & Bush, A. (2013). McKinesiology. "Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies", 35(5), 335-356; Culp, B. (2016). Social justice and the future of higher education kinesiology. "Quest" ("grand Rapids, Mich"), 68(3), 271-283; Douglas, D. D., & Halas, J. M. (2013). The wages of whiteness: Confronting the nature of ivory tower racism and the implications for physical education. "Sport, Education and Society", 18(4), 453-474; Joseph, J., & Kriger, D. (2021). Towards a decolonizing kinesiology ethics model. Quest (grand Rapids, Mich), 73(2), 192-208; Nachman, J., Joseph, J., & Fusco, C. (2021). 'What if what the professor knows is not diverse enough for US?': whiteness in Canadian kinesiology programs. Sport, Education and Society, 1-14). There is, however, limited research that examines how kinesiology curriculum might enable the reproduction of these processes. Thus, this study explores how knowledge is distributed within Canadian university kinesiology curriculum, and how disciplines, faculty members, and students are represented on program websites. We analyzed eight Canadian university kinesiology websites using summative qualitative content analysis (SQCA) and the Five Faces of Oppression (Young, I. M. (1990). "Five Faces of Oppression," justice and the politics of difference. Princeton University Press) framework. Overall, programs reproduce Western, scientific, and positivist approaches as the dominant knowledge, maintain racially homogenous faculty demographics, make rhetorical commitments to EDI, and communicate neoliberalism in mission statements. In doing so, these programs (1) privilege white, heteronormative, lean, and able bodies(2) marginalize the experiences of those who deviate from these identitarian positions, and (3) limit the possibilities for transformation towards inclusive kinesiology in Canada. Recommendations are suggested for how curricula might engage with social justice objectives and challenge oppressive systems.

While kinesiology scholars have focused on how future faculty members are socialized, recruited into, and prepared for academia, limited attention has been given to the apprenticeship of observation for faculty roles when college students first develop impressions and initial understandings of faculty work. This qualitative study aimed to understand undergraduate kinesiology students' perceptions and beliefs about faculty roles and careers in higher education. Data were collected from 58 undergraduate kinesiology students at a large doctoral-granting institution in the Midwest region of the U.S. The findings were communicated through three themes: (a) incomplete understanding of faculty work limits motivation to pursue faculty careers; (b) positive associations but distal relationships with faculty through coursework; and (c) research involvement fosters an understanding of research process and faculty work. This study has implications not only for the recruitment and socialization of future faculty, but also for building public trust in kinesiology and higher education.

Although educators in the field of kinesiology implement online education in various forms, online education rarely receives attention in literature. The purpose of this study is to explore online courses in the subject matter of kinesiology through the community of inquiry framework. This mixed-method study adopted a multiple case study approach collecting data using survey, learning management system analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data revealed that instructors shared high intentions toward the implementation of teaching and cognitive presences. The online instructors expressed much lower levels of intentions to support the social presence. The authors suggest online instructors be mindful of students' engagement that is bound to the interplay of different types of learning activities. This study is expected to serve as a meaningful contribution to the understanding of the status of online teaching and learning in the field of kinesiology.

The purpose of this phenomenological, qualitative, temporal study was to examine the effects of a semester-long physical theater class on body schema (body posture, awareness, confidence, expression) among eight college students. Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted twice to qualitatively collect the study's data. Two themes emerged from the qualitative/phenomenological data analysis, showcasing how the participants' body schema improved. Based on the first theme, the students emphasized the importance of physical theater in improving body posture, awareness, confidence and comfort during physical theater and their daily functions. Practically learning the body schema of their character was key to excellence in performance. According to the second theme, the participants learned how to express emotions using their whole body and not only their face. They also managed to switch emotions naturally and corporeally. Experts in Kinesiology and Performing Arts should promote embodied, holistic, playful, and physically demanding movement programs for improved body schema.

Human anatomy is a key subject area within undergraduate kinesiology programs. However, literature detailing the course structures, available resources, and teaching approaches used to deliver anatomy education in kinesiology programs is lacking. The present study sought to address this deficit by surveying instructors in Canadian university and college kinesiology programs regarding the anatomy courses they offer. The median (IQR) reported enrollment across 48 courses (40% response rate) was 165 (155) students and the mean (±SD) student/instructor ratio was 20:1 (±9) for the laboratory/tutorial sessions. Systemic or regional approaches to teaching were utilized in 39.6% of courses each, while 20.8% used both. Weekly contact times for in-person lectures and laboratories were 2.7 (±0.5) hours and 1.9 (±0.8) hours, respectively. Written assessments accounted for 64% (±20) of students' final grades, while practical tests accounted for 29% (±18). Joints and the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems were the most covered units (>85% of courses). The most common resources available to students were atlases, plastic models, skeletons, and interactive software; human cadaver dissection was used in 7% of courses. Primary instructors for 95.5% of courses were permanent faculty/staff, but student assistants were utilized in half the courses, mostly for marking and laboratory activities. Overall, these results add considerably to the literature from allied health disciplines and fill a deficit in studies on the teaching methods and resources used for human anatomy education within Canadian undergraduate kinesiology programs. Accordingly, these findings may be used to inform curriculum design and best practices in anatomy course delivery.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of basic psychological need satisfaction and motivation on students' use of deep and surface learning strategies across undergraduate kinesiology courses. This study used a survey consisting of demographic questions and three self-report questionnaires assessing basic need satisfaction, motivation, and deep and surface learning strategies. The survey was administered via Qualtrics at the end of two semesters (fall 2020 and spring 2021). The participants consisted of 1,125 undergraduate kinesiology students (81.9% female, 55.3% white, 94.8% non-Hispanic) at a midsize university in the southeastern part of the United States. Path modeling showed that intrinsic motivation was influenced by autonomy, competence, and relatedness, while identified regulation was influenced by autonomy and competence. Relatedness also influenced both introjected regulation and external regulation. Participants' intrinsic motivation and identified regulation negatively predicted surface learning strategies while external regulation positively predicted surface learning strategies. Intrinsic motivation and identified motivation predicted deep learning strategies. Interestingly, all three basic psychological needs predicted deep learning strategies. These findings underscore the importance of satisfying basic needs to influence motivation and, in certain cases, learning strategies. While it is evident that the use of deep learning strategies would be highly beneficial for this group of learners, kinesiology students may not rely on these strategies due to a lack of intrinsic motivation and basic need satisfaction. Although future research is necessary to test the causal links between these constructs, supporting students' basic psychological needs and fostering intrinsic motivation could contribute to the use of deeper learning strategies.

Purpose: To establish a consensus on the complexity of 16 fundamental movement skills (FMS). Initially, complexity was defined as how difficult it would be to teach FMS to children and for the children to learn them. Method: The study was conducted using a modified Delphi method and a mobile application called Move Improve® to showcase video demonstrations of 16 FMS. Six experts discussed and rated the complexity of each FMS using a 5-point Likert scale until a 75% consensus was obtained during three rounds. Result: Dribble was rated as the most complex (average five) and run as the least (average one). The highest percentage of consensus at 100% was obtained for dribble, overhead throw, run, and skip during Round 3. Conclusion: Eye--hand or eye--foot coordination, laterality, and the environment were deemed as the most influential factors when rating the complexity of FMS.

Weight stigma is the negative social judgment of people based on their weight. Despite the negative consequences of weight stigma, its prevalence is well-documented including within the physical activity (PA) landscape. Research shows that a wide range of PA-related professionals hold negative attitudes toward fat people, including physical education teachers, kinesiology students, and fitness trainers. This article describes a collaboration across disciplines and fields to develop a weight stigma reduction intervention for exercise professionals. Weight Inclusive Thinking for Fitness Spaces (WIT FITS) is a two-hour, self-paced, interactive online course grounded in the Health at Every Size® paradigm and research-informed strategies for improving exercise professionals' attitudes toward fatness and fostering weight inclusivity in fitness settings. WIT FITS was the result of a three-year interdisciplinary collaboration with scholars from pedagogy, public health, sport and exercise psychology, and nutrition. Community partners involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of WIT FITS included body liberation activists, web and instructional designers, and campus recreation leaders.

Regular physical activity (PA) can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve cognitive function and emotional health. Unfortunately, many college students are inactive and at risk for chronic diseases and mental health conditions. Therefore, innovative exercise interventions that promote PA in this population are needed. PA adherence is enhanced when the experience promotes positive affect, and intrinsic factors drive participants. Zumba fitness is a popular group exercise class that provides a unique experience in which intrinsic motivation and positive affect are reinforced. This study aimed to implement and evaluate an online synchronous Zumba fitness course to promote PA among college students. Pre- and post-surveys assessed leisure-time PA, intrinsic motivation, and exercise affect. Also, participants (16 female students) reported affect state, need satisfaction, and enjoyment at the end of the Zumba session bi-weekly throughout the semester. Results indicated an overall positive trend from the start to the end of the semester and within individual Zumba sessions. Intrinsic motivation and exercise affect did not significantly increase, but self-reported MVPA increased significantly with a large effect size (d = 1.05). On the post-course evaluations, all students strongly agreed that they enjoyed the course and agreed or strongly agreed that it increased their motivation for physical activity. In addition, students reported enjoying the upbeat music, fun moves, and informative lectures. These findings suggest strategies other PA course instructors can adopt to provide enjoyable PA experiences and promote students' continued PA participation.

Physical activity (PA) is an important facet in survivorship care. Standardized curriculum which teaches undergraduate student exercise leaders how to implement PA programs for childhood cancer survivors have not been developed. Delivery of PA programs are limited by resources, so utilizing students to lead PA sessions is a potentially cost-effective approach. The purpose of this study was to learn how to optimize mentorship of student PA leaders in pediatric oncology. The aims were to report on the level of guidance provided to the student PA leaders, share student PA leaders' reflection of their mentorship and the challenges they faced. Student PA leaders designed and delivered a 31-week, virtual PA program to pediatric cancer survivors (5-18-year-olds). Mentors provided feedback on the recorded sessions. PA leaders were interviewed about their perceptions, their experiences and the type of feedback they valued the most. Student PA leaders received the most feedback during the first 2 weeks of the program, suggesting close oversight is needed during this time. Students valued the feedback on improving PA delivery/instruction the most. Students reported feeling anxious prior to sessions, especially when new content would be introduced because they were unsure how the patients would respond to the new activities. Reinforcing that the leaders have the ability to minimize PA barriers and provide support may help to resolve their anxiety of working with this population. Using a similar approach as presented in this paper may be advantageous in the development of high-performing PA leaders.

The curriculum evaluation described in this paper documents the efforts of a group of university faculty to implement Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) in two kinesiology-related courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The engaged students (n = 34) completed pre-post questionnaires measuring changes in intercultural effectiveness and a series of self-reflective prompts regarding their experiences in the involved courses. The evaluation suggests intercultural effectiveness may be best supported when COIL course design: (a) nurtures students' interest in cultural exploration and learning; (b) engages students in peer-to-peer interaction and social connection across cultures at the beginning and throughout the experience; and (c) supports students' emotional growth and resilience by providing opportunities to be challenged and problem-solve. Directly informing the sustainability of COIL innovations are administrative supports and strategic prioritization of intercultural engagement amid a higher education climate shaped by supercomplexity factors.

Textured grip socks are worn by soccer players worldwide to decrease foot movement within the shoe and improve athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of textured grip socks on performance and in-shoe plantar kinetics during soccer-specific tasks. Eleven collegiate soccer players (4 male, 7 female) participated in this study. Performance and in-shoe kinetic data were collected under 2 sock conditions (normal soccer socks and grip socks) during 3 change-of-direction drills (45-degree, 90-degree, 180-degree changes-of-direction) and 3 soccer-specific drills (dribbling, ball striking, juggling). Kinetic data were recorded across 3 plantar regions (hindfoot, medial forefoot, lateral forefoot) via insoles worn in the shoe and utilized to calculate impulse and peak force. Performance was assessed via time-to-completion (change-of-direction and dribbling drills) or number of successful repetitions (juggling and ball striking drills). Compared to normal soccer socks, grip socks improved performance during dribbling (P = 0.02), dominant limb juggling (P = 0.03), and ball striking at 3 distances (P = 0.04, <0.01, <0.001). Grip socks decreased 180-degree change-of-direction performance (P = 0.03). Hindfoot impulse was smaller during the 45- (P = 0.02) and 90-degree (P = 0.02) change-of-direction drills in grip socks. Hindfoot peak force was smaller during the 90-degree change-of-direction (P = 0.05); medial forefoot (P = 0.02) and total foot (P = 0.02) peak force were greater during the 45-degree change-of-direction drill in grip socks. Despite improvements in soccer-specific performance with grip socks, the lack of consistent significant differences among plantar kinetics indicate that performance outcomes may be driven by at least one other mechanism (e.g., placebo, somatosensory feedback).

The Child Focused Injury Risk Screening Tool (ChildFIRST) aims to measure movement competence and lower-limb-injury risk in 8-12-year-old children. Although the ChildFIRST has face and content validity evidence, stronger validity evidence is warranted. We tested the concurrent validity of the ChildFIRST using motion analysis, and the convergent validity of the ChildFIRST using the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) and the Test of Gross Motor Development 3 (TGMD-3). We computed correlation coefficients (0.05 alpha level). We evaluated 17 participants. We observed positive correlation values between 18 ChildFIRST evaluation criteria and peak joint angles in the frontal and sagittal planes. One movement skill (i.e. leaping) presented a negative correlation value. We observed positive correlation values between the ChildFIRST and TGMD-3 and between the ChildFIRST and the mSEBT. Nine out of ten movement skills in the ChildFIRST are valid to assess movement competence and identify risk factors associated with lower-limb musculoskeletal injuries.

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is a commonly used statistical technique. Recommendations for evaluating CFA highlight scholars should outline the expected model, conduct data screening, report model estimation and evaluation, and report key information about results to provide evidence for latent variables. The purpose of the current study was to review and evaluate the use of CFA in research published from 2013 to 2022 in the journal of "Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science" (MPEES), the most measurement focused journal in kinesiology, in our view. Results were cross-checked by examining research published in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport during the same time period. Strengths included providing information about the expected model, evaluating the final model, and reporting parameter estimates. Areas for improvement included conducting data screening and evaluating factor quality. Finally, recommendations for scholars to improve reporting of CFA in kinesiology are provided.

Human anatomy requires understanding spatial relationships among anatomical structures and is often perceived as difficult to learn by students. To overcome this concern, several digital tools exist with some strengths and limitations among which the lack of interactivity especially for complex functional anatomy learning. In this way, a new interactive three-dimensional tool called Antepulsio was designed. Antepulsio was assessed by comparing three groups of first year kinesiology students to test whether it is likely to favor functional anatomy learning during three training sessions spread over a week. The experiment was conducted during a real academic course. Laterality judgment, 3D spatial abilities and working memory abilities from all participants were previously collected to create three homogeneous groups: the active group (n = 17, 17.76 ± 0.56 years) interacted with Antepulsio, the passive group (n = 18, 17.89 ± 0.83 years) watched videos of Antepulsio while the control group (n = 15, 18.07 ± 0.80 years) performed a neutral activity unrelated to anatomy. Anatomy knowledge was also assessed during pretest, posttest, and retention test (8 weeks after the posttest). The most significant outcome of this study revealed that in case of better working visual memory, the active group outperformed the passive group between pretest and retention test (p < 0.01). In other words, Antepulsio tool is efficient only for students with high visuospatial working memory. These selective benefits of Antepulsio are discussed in terms of cognitive load, training duration and the necessary period of familiarization with the tool.

This paper presents the experiences of a racially integrated research team -- two Black male scholars and one white female scholar - drawn from a series of recorded conversations and journal entries as part of weekly research meetings while engaging in race research across more than a year's time. While our work inherently centered race by nature of the topics we researched, we chose to also critically reflect on what it means to do research together as Black and white scholars, and how kinesiology might benefit from our model of working together. Through thoughtful reflection linked to scholarship, we aimed to answer the questions of how our work yielded new understandings of the data we were collecting and analyzing, and how the field might utilize our collective research team experience. Using Critical Race Theory, Critical Whiteness Studies, and intersectionality, we situated our experiences of working together within the existing literature on race dynamics in higher education to illustrate how our processes disrupted whiteness and furthered a justice-oriented approach to conducting race research. First, we highlight the status of race in higher education and kinesiology, with a specific focus on PE teacher education (PETE), since that is our field of study. From there, we outline the theoretical frameworks that informed the research project and our approach to working together. Next, we use the meeting recordings and transcriptions to analyze how the research team functioned, highlighting Korey Boyd's and Cory Dixon's experiences of engaging in race-related research and then turning to Mara Simon's reflexive attempts to disrupt whiteness even as she embodied it within the group dynamics. Finally, we conclude by addressing negotiations and tensions of this process, along with implications and recommendations for future race research in kinesiology.

Over the past several decades, the scholarship requirements for faculty at teaching-intensive institutions have increased and are used in the tenure and promotion evaluation process. Thus, in order to establish some normative data for faculty and administrators at these institutions we evaluated publication rates among kinesiology departments within liberal arts (LA) institutions and determined what factors might be associated with publication rates across institutions. Departments were identified from the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and members of the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC). Web of Science, SportDiscus, and PubMed were searched for research published between 2009 and 2018. Demographic information for each school included extramural funding, endowment, number of undergraduate students, and the presence of graduate programs. Of the 116 LA kinesiology departments identified, the mean publication rate across the entire sample was 0.09 ± 0.18 publications/year/tenure-track faculty member. Multiple regression analysis yielded the model: publication rate = (0.266 × endowment) + (0.406 × extramural funding) + 0.057 (R[superscript 2][subscript adj] = 0.333, SEE = 0.181, p < 0.001). In the 10 R1 kinesiology departments examined, the mean publication rate was 1.97 ± 1.33 publications/year/tenure-track faculty member. Scholarly activity in kinesiology departments at LA institutions is substantially lower than has been reported for their counterparts at R1 institutions. And access to extramural funding is a primary predictor of scholarly productivity. While publishing one peer-reviewed manuscript every 3 years at an R1 institution would likely be unacceptable for promotion and tenure, this publication rate would be in the 90th percentile among LA kinesiology faculty.

The purpose of this study was to investigate five Japanese graduate (master's level) students' experiences in online courses in international development and peace through sport that used English as the medium of instruction. The study was situated in the framework of andragogy theory and used a descriptive-qualitative design using an in-depth, semistructured interview approach using online oral and written interviews. Three emergent themes were established. These recurrent themes were (a) "learning online specialized content using English as a second language", (b) "students' struggles in group projects through online education", and (c) "students' opinions about the improvement of online education". To better support Japanese graduate students' online learning, this study encourages academic departments, administrators, and faculty to better design appropriate courses and online activities. This will contribute to a greater appreciation for the richness of sports development and peace and to increasing the availability of meaningful academic and social experiences for graduate students at Japanese universities.

Pedagogical approaches in higher education are evolving. Instructors are tasked with meeting the needs and preferences of the modern student and their desire for increased input in higher education courses. As such, this study sought to provide a manageable example of how flexible weighting schemes can be incorporated into assessments for undergraduate courses, in addition to examining whether doing so increased student grades. This study also examined students' motives for selecting a given assessment weighting scheme and if students would have selected an alternative weighting scheme upon completion of the course. Final grades and selected assessment weighting schemes from 159 students across two courses were collected. Written feedback from students in one course was also collected and subjected to content analysis. Results suggest that the majority of students did not choose the weighting scheme that would have given them the highest grade. Additionally, content analysis of written responses highlighted six motives behind students' choices (e.g., self-assessed strength in type of assessment). Lastly, of those students that did complete the optional written feedback, the majority indicated they would have chosen a different weighting scheme and that their self-perceived strengths regarding assessments did not help them choose the most appropriate weighting scheme. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insight into the implementation and outcomes of using flexible assessment in undergraduate courses.

A priori power analyses can ensure studies are unlikely to miss interesting effects. Recent metascience has suggested that kinesiology research may be underpowered and selectively reported. Here, we examined whether power analyses are being used to ensure informative studies in motor behavior. We reviewed every article published in three motor behavior journals between January 2019 and June 2021. Power analyses were reported in 13% of studies (k = 636) that tested a hypothesis. No study targeted the smallest effect size of interest. Most studies with a power analysis relied on estimates from previous experiments, pilot studies, or benchmarks to determine the effect size of interest. Studies without a power analysis reported support for their main hypothesis 85% of the time, while studies with a power analysis found support 76% of the time. The median sample sizes were n = 17.5 without a power analysis and n = 16 with a power analysis, suggesting the typical study design was underpowered for all but the largest plausible effect size. At present, power analyses are not being used to optimize the informativeness of motor behavior research. Adoption of this widely recommended practice may greatly enhance the credibility of the motor behavior literature.

The purpose of this study was to describe how Japanese adapted physical education (APE) graduate students engage themselves in learning research skills through masters' research thesis projects. In this study, andragogy theory was utilized, which allowed the researchers to understand Japanese graduate students' learning experiences of master's research thesis projects. Five Japanese APE master's students (3 men and 2 women) participated in the study, which had a descriptive-qualitative design using an in-depth, semi-structured interview approach. The data source was face to face interviews. Interview data were analyzed using a constant comparative method, and resulted in themes related to (a) "reasons for selecting a master's research thesis topic," (b) "learning challenges of research methods," and (c) "peer evaluation and collaboration." To better support Japanese graduate students, this study encourages APE faculty and graduate students to learn how to develop a blueprint of the research design, research method, and presentation of the results and discussion using various research sources in the graduate students' research seminars. This study posits that Japanese APE graduate students will benefit from a learning strategy such as language translation-oriented strategy that enables them to capture the nuance of content learning in APE.

National and international calls for increased work-integrated learning (WIL) offerings have increased in the last decade. Although previous research on WIL engagement has explored population-specific barriers experienced during participation, a gap exists on barriers experienced by students across the participation spectrum, including those who choose not to participate. This study sought to investigate students' perspectives of the barriers to engaging in an optional unpaid field placement. Grounded in the transtheoretical stages of behavior change model, a mixed-methods convergent parallel design was used. Data from 110 surveys and 17 semi-structured interviews with students were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results are presented in relation to stages of behavioral change, barriers to engagement, and moderating factors, including perceived value of WIL and self-efficacy. Findings from this study support the need for future research to explore promotional and intervention strategies aligned with stages of behavior change to increase students' decisions to engage in WIL participation.

The aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility of an experiential learning initiative led by minority exercise science undergraduates and to observe the adaptations after a 10-week high-intensity functional training (HIFT) program in 34 underrepresented, hypertensive, and overweight/obese professional firefighters (PFF; age: 36.8 ± 11.0 years, body weight: 97.3 ± 21.5 kg, height: 181.7 ± 6.6 cm; BMI: 29.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2). Data were analyzed for muscular strength and endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, agility, flexibility, and readiness for change. The PFFs trained two to three times weekly during their work shifts at vigorous intensity for 40 min. Their resting diastolic blood pressure and resting heart rate significantly decreased. Improvements in agility, muscular strength, and readiness for change were observed. This HIFT experiential learning initiative was feasible and beneficial and improved the PFFs' health and physical fitness with limited resources. Accredited programs in exercise science participating in low-cost initiatives may aid in mitigating public service workers' compensation and injury rates to better respond to occupational demands.

Challenges exist when designing curriculum for courses where various kinesiology majors are enrolled. They not only exist for the instructors, but also for students that bring with them previously held assumptions and beliefs about their expectations for learning. Therefore, by creating a student-centered learning environment where students self-examine, critically assess their previously held assumptions and plan a course of action for their education has the potential to be a transformative experience for students. The purpose of this article is to disseminate guidelines for developing and implementing a curriculum negotiation between the instructor and students within the theoretical framework of transformative learning. This article first describes the importance of establishing a student-centered learning environment to facilitate the transformative learning experience. From there, the explicit focus is on the development of course assignments designed to promote transformative learning in alignment with the course objectives. The narratives provide recommendations for developing an undergraduate kinesiology course where students can be empowered to create meaningful learning experiences. Included is a discussion about how transformative learning theory is a valuable and advantageous approach to enrich learning.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is an emerging topic for many institutions of higher education and should be integrated into departmental and university culture. The purpose of this review is to discuss how recent kinesiology research and organizations have emphasized DEI to provide faculty and staff with contemporary information for improving this aspect in the field of kinesiology. Literature within the vast field of kinesiology has shown that women and black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) have been underrepresented among tenured faculty. The literature provides a deep analysis of the challenges faced in the academy as well as strategies to improve departmental and institutional DEI culture. Several organizations have also emphasized DEI. The American College of Sports Medicine has developed programming that provides avenues to organizational leadership for women and BIPOC. Additionally, the American Kinesiology Association recognizes kinesiology departments for excellence in DEI. Collectively, this information can be used to help kinesiology departments recruit and retain faculty who are BIPOC and build a culture for DEI within their faculty, staff, and students. However, more information and shared ideas are necessary for concepts such as providing writing assistance for faculty and students whose first language is not English and racial and gender-based disparities that exist with research participant inclusion and eligibility.

The purpose of this study was to assess students' self-perceptions of their research abilities and develop strategies to improve research skills among undergraduate students. The instrument was administered to students in a Kinesiology department at a university in Midwest U.S.A. Fifteen questions were included in the self-administered questionnaire, which includes research habits, past research experiences, and self-perceptions on research skills and demographics. Data based on a total of 315 respondents showed that most students reported higher levels of self-perceived research skills such as information literacy skills, ethical principles, and communication skills. However, students reported lower levels of confidence in research design and statistical skills. The results of this study illustrate the importance of developing research skills among students. Key strategies include coaching, mentoring, and providing more research opportunities.

Trends about lay material quality suggest most college/university students enrolled in kinesiology programs are not taught about readability issues. Such trends are in diametric opposition to future graduates' moral and legal mandate to communicate clearly (e.g., the 2010 U.S. "Plain Writing Act"). Numerous leaders in kinesiology have helped shine light upon the issue of readability and related barriers to translating knowledge from kinesiology into actions that "serve" the public. Following Thomas and Cardinal's (2020) call to treat knowledge translation as the next frontier for kinesiology scholarship, we present one scaled-up approach that those in higher education could use to prepare students to be effective in lay communication, namely a practicum course on plain language communication. This article reports on our process to create an outline for a practicum course on plain language communication, which was designed for wide-scale adoption. Beyond the practicum course outline, we developed seven supplemental materials to aid delivery of the course -- regardless of teaching experience or familiarity with the topic. We conclude with guiding discussion of the material we created for a kinesiology practicum course in lay communication, then we present recommendations for administrative action and future research.

During an educational climate that is marked by teacher attrition and shortages, relationship-building among teachers is more critical than ever. The workplace relationships between adapted and general physical education teachers has been problematized and may negatively affect the education of their students with disabilities. Grounded in role socialization theory, we present three non-fiction narratives of adapted physical education teachers to highlight the growing workplace concerns emerging through research and their implications for kinesiology and physical education departments as they train preservice teachers. After each narrative we provide reflective prompts for faculty to engage their preservice teachers. Finally, we conclude with a series of practical strategies faculty may consider to improve the relationship-building skillset among their preservice adapted and general physical education teachers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities transitioned to remote instruction, which has potential to both increase access and exacerbate disparities faced by students in higher education. This exploratory study examined barriers faced by students in kinesiology and sport management classes (n = 104), and faculty behaviors that aided and harmed students' ability to succeed. Results suggest two broad categories of barriers: household difficulties (e.g., job loss, illness) and technology access (e.g., internet access, sharing devices). Faculty strategies for success were nuanced, with students indicating a preference for both consistency and flexibility. Given the ongoing nature of the pandemic and likely permanence of online education, strategies and implications for educators are discussed.

While kinesiology as a field and as an academic major has evolved and diversified considerably over the last several decades, the cultural and racial demographics of kinesiology majors has remained fairly similar to the demographic characteristics of the early 2000s and before. There is incongruence between the actual diversity of the American population and the diversity of the population in American higher education. This disparate status further extends to kinesiology programs and subsequent subdisciplines. While the responsible systemic racial and cultural variables are worthy to be considered, examined, and corrected, this article does not drill into such constructs. Instead, this article identifies the barriers and facilitators of cultural and racial demographics as expressed by kinesiology majors and kinesiology-related professionals in higher education kinesiology programs and the allied health professions. This article discusses the importance of actively promoting kinesiology to diverse populations in the community. It amplifies the message of many scholars calling attention to a lack of diversity, as well as promotes selected effective strategies being initialized in kinesiology departments and among the allied health professions.

Descriptive and functional anatomy is one of the most important sciences for kinesiology students. Anatomy learning requires spatial and motor imagery abilities. Learning anatomy is complex when teaching methods and instructional tools do not appropriately develop spatial and motor imagery abilities. Recent technological developments such as three-dimensional (3D) digital tools allow to overcome those difficulties, especially when 3D tools require strong interactions with the learners. Besides interactive digital tools, embodied learning or learning in motion is an effective method for a wide variety of sciences including anatomy. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of combining movement execution with 3D animation visualization on anatomy learning in a real classroom teaching context. To do so, the results of two groups of kinesiology students during three official assessments were compared. The experimental group (n = 60) learned functional anatomy by combining movement execution with traditional knowledge acquisition (e.g., 3D animations visualization, problem-based learning exercises). The control group (n = 61) had the same material but did not execute the movements during problem-solving exercises. Although no differences were found between both groups on early and mid-semester examinations, significant difference appeared at the end of the semester with an advantage for the experimental group. This exploratory study suggests that embodied learning is beneficial in improving functional anatomy learning. Therefore, it would be interesting to integrate such type of pedagogical approach within the kinesiology curriculum.

Keywords are important bibliometric tools for classifying, accessing, and summarizing research. Citations to the top 10 Google Scholar (GS) Profiles were retrieved for 20 kinesiology-related subject labels/keywords. Total citations to top scholars were largest for the disciplinary keywords "physical activity," "exercise," "physical education," "sport science," "sports," "exercise science," "sport," and "kinesiology." Citations to top scholars using professionally aligned keywords were in "sports medicine" and "coaching." The results confirm previously reported trends of slow growth of use of the term kinesiology primarily in the United States, even though the highest citations were to the "physical activity" keyword that is the focus of the field in the United States. Strong citation counts to the "exercise," "physical education," and "sport science" keywords likely result from the diversity of research interests in the field throughout the world. Inconsistency of citation and use of keywords and bibliometric subject areas contribute to slow recognition and access to kinesiology research.

Team-based learning (TBL) is an evidence-based collaborative pedagogical strategy that engages student knowledge through group collaboration. Using TBL, a course is designed around units of instruction, referred to as modules. TBL has been found to motivate students by holding them accountable to themselves and their peers, while also introducing them to a variety of thought processes. Furthermore, research indicates that students have reported growing in their creative thinking and oral communication. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine undergraduate kinesiology students' experiences of using TBL in an introductory course. Researchers were interested in the advantages of building communities of practice within the scholastic setting as well as using a "flipped" classroom to better prepare students for upper level courses. In order to build the course, a team of faculty brought expertise from each of the core sub-disciplines in kinesiology. The introductory course instructor then taught the course using TBL throughout the semester, including Readiness Assurance Tests, Decision Based Questions, and application based projects all done in their semester-long designated team during class instruction time. Students participated in an entry and exit interview which focused on exploring pre and post course preparedness, course engagement and communication styles, and overall feelings toward group work. Results indicated that students had overall more positive experiences and feelings toward group work and classroom engagement, while still valuing their instructor in a flipped classroom setting.

In this paper I explore my burgeoning interest in the work of Bruno Latour in an effort to conceptualize movement skill learning as a complex process involving multiple circulating entities. Drawing from Latour's (2007) actor-network theory (ANT), my aim is to illustrate how an ANT take on movement skill learning could impact kinesiology as a field through the development of a more holistic approach to the learning of skilled actions that addresses how meaning, movement and matter assemble.

The COVID-19 pandemic required an emergency shift to remote teaching. Despite their limited previous experience with online or hybrid teaching, our cohort of kinesiology faculty (n = 112) had high confidence in their ability to deliver quality educational experiences for their students during the pandemic. With support from their institutions, technology departments, and teaching and learning centers, faculty developed new skills and organizational strategies. To achieve this, 81% of faculty reported needing extra course preparation time to deliver high-quality remote teaching, with 51% needing up to 5 extra hours per week per course. There is a fraction of faculty from this study excited about the prospect of teaching online in the future. These newfound online teaching skills should be leveraged to modernize course offerings in kinesiology departments, supporting student recruitment, retention, and success.

Inter-disciplinarity and bridging disciplinary boundaries is a practice that scholars often strive for within higher education research. Kinesiology encompasses many aspects such as physical activity, physical education and community. In this article, the two fields of leisure studies and physical education are analyzed as a means to argue that these fields have overlapping messages that are currently being missed within scholarship. Using the theory of boundary crossing, this paper will argue that as a result of missing these current messages, we are at risk of disconnecting education from the social context of leisure. As a result of such analysis, this paper presents conclusions on ways in which research and practice can seek to strengthen the connection between these contexts and open new lines of enquiry that would be fruitful to explore.

Confronting the distinctive challenges of international East Asian students is vital for the increasingly diverse United States higher education system. This study examines the experiences of six participants of East Asian descent during kinesiology doctoral programs at U.S. higher education institutions. The research design is qualitative inquiry rooted in Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit). There were several subthemes emerged; (a) language barriers and/or proficiency, (b) cross-cultural dissonance, (c) multi-faceted challenges, (d) limited social relationships, and (e) extension of Asian identity as faculty. Findings are discussed in light of AsianCrit with a particular focus on marginalization--invisible presence and silenced voices, intersectionality--perpetual foreigners and unwelcome outsiders, lack of social and cultural capital, and counter stories. Frequently positioned as outsiders with minimal voice and visibility, their learning and success can be supported by increased institutional diversity training, culturally responsive asset -based instruction, and culturally contextual orientation.

The author discusses the potential impacts of international collaboration on learning, teaching, scholarship, and overall career. As a by-product and beneficiary of international collaborations, she recounted her journey, starting from playing sports in a village in Kenya to being a physical education teacher in Kenya and a kinesiology professor in higher education in the United States of America. She described how international education provided her with lifelong transformative experiences that continue to shape her international activities. Examples of international collaborative activities during the pre- and post-pandemic World are described. Although the Covid pandemic greatly impacted international collaborations across the spectrum, collaborative and innovative strategies continue to sustain them.

The 3rd annual Praxis Lecture exemplifies the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education's (NAKHE's) ongoing commitment to the principles and practices of social justice, diversity, and inclusive excellence as pillars of leadership development. This year's lecture focused on perspectives, insights, and recommendations for NAKHE as the organization strategically prepares activities and programming to effectively develop, support, and advance future generations of leaders in the kinesiology discipline and beyond. The lecture highlighted an overview of the author's journey as a scholar, administrator, and member of NAKHE. Additionally, a rationale for and description of six key perspectives on leadership development were offered for consideration. This lecture was dedicated to the author's mentor, advisor, and supporter Dr. Jepkorir Rose Chepyator-Thomson of the University of Georgia's Department of Kinesiology.

This paper, based upon the Dudley Allen Sargent lecture delivered at the 2023 NAKHE conference, provides a discussion on the importance of physical education in higher education from a non-American perspective. It explores the past and present place of physical education and its scholars in the realm of higher education, while sharing examples and insights from a Canadian context. It argues that at the present time physical education scholars suffer somewhat from an abundance affliction with respect to the immense number of organizations, conferences, and journals that exist for sharing their scholarly work. Finally, readers are encouraged to reflect on how this breadth of opportunity for physical education in higher education and academia is both the disciplines' greatest strength and weakness, but that regardless of this fact the roots of physical education in higher education and Dudley Sargent's aspirations are still shared among physical education and kinesiology scholars of today.

The quality of interaction is an essential factor leading to learner satisfaction, academic achievement, learner engagement, and a positive attitude toward distance education. The purpose of this study is to examine different types of interactions within online kinesiology courses. Adopting a multiple case study design with a mixed-methods approach, the researchers analyzed learning activities and categorized them as: (a) learner-content, or (b) learner-instructor, or (c) learner-learner type of interaction. The interview transcriptions added instructors' rationale for including specific learning activities as supplemental data. The analysis across the courses revealed that there was a similar pattern of interaction regardless of the course content or course instructor and instructors still see their main role as content providers. The findings suggest the need for further studies to focus on the different types of interactions and their effectiveness on instructional settings in online learning environments. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.