Assessing Subdisciplinary Concept Knowledge of Preservice Physical Education Teachers.

The first step in assessing physical education student teachers' content-related knowledge base is to establish current levels of subdisciplinary knowledge in students and prospective teachers alike. Researchers developed seven multiple-choice tests, based on the National Physical Education Standards Education text, "Concepts of Physical Education: What Every Student Needs to Know," in order to assess subdisciplinary concept knowledge in the areas of aesthetic experience, biomechanics, exercise physiology historical perspectives, motor development, motor learning, and social psychology. These tests, the Assessment of Subdisciplinary Knowledge in Physical Education (ASK-PE), were used to assess high school students' conceptual physical education knowledge. On all tests, females significantly outscored males. Preservice physical educators enrolled in an introductory major's course (PRE) and in the final semester of student teaching (POST) also completed the ASK-PE. In the PRE group, females outscored males on all but one test. In the POST group, males outscored females on five of the seven tests. In all three groups, participants had the most difficulty with the historical test. High school students' and PRE teachers' best scores were on the motor development test. POST teachers' highest scores were on the exercise physiology test. (Contains 16 references.) (SM)