A Study of Preservice Physical Education Teachers' Content Knowledge of Health-Related Fitness

Purpose: The authors assessed common content knowledge of health-related fitness in a national representative sample of preservice physical education teachers in the United States. Methods: Six hundred and twenty-one preservice physical education teachers from 68 physical education teacher education (PETE) programs located in different regions in the United States completed the 40 multiple choice items health-related fitness knowledge test during the semester prior to their student teaching. In addition, each PETE program coordinator/department head completed the PETE Program Information Questionnaire. Results: The mean percentage correct on the test was 61.3% (M = 24.5, SD = 4.9). Analyses of variance and t-test analyses indicated that common content knowledge of health-related fitness was not a function of sex, program size, or region of the United States. Discussion/Conclusions: These data suggest that preservice physical education teachers in the United States lack common content knowledge of health-related fitness and warrant the attention of PETE programs.