Education Commons^™

Evaluation Of A Concept-Based Physical Education Unit For Energy Balance Education, Senlin Chen, Xihe Zhu, Jared Androzzi, Yoon Ho Nam

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Physical education (PE) is a key channel that impacts children’s decisions and behaviors for healthful living. This study evaluated the effects of a concept-based PE (CBPE) instructional unit, featured by energy balance (EB) education, on students’ knowledge learning, situational interest, cognitive, and physical engagements as well as teachers’ perceptions.

Methods: Fourth and 5th grade students (n = 468) in a mid-western state of the United States were recruited as the participants. Four elementary schools were randomized to the CBPE or control groups. Students’ EB knowledge, situational interest, cognitive engagement, and physical engagement were measured by a knowledge test, the …

Scrapbook Interviewing: Exploring Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder’S Experiences In Physical Education, Amanda Yessick

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning that students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ascribed to their experiences in self-contained physical education (PE) classes. Four participants with a primary diagnosis of ASD who attended a self-contained PE class in a separate public day school were purposively selected for this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observational field notes, and reflective notes. Methodological triangulation, researcher reflexivity, and peer debriefing were utilized to support trustworthiness. After interview transcription, thematic development was conducted using a three-step analytic process informed by the purpose and research approach adopted in this study. …

Effects Of A Unilateral Strength And Plyometric Training Program For Division I Soccer Players, Eric Potter

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The current thesis examined the effects of a unilateral strength and plyometric program on power (bilateral and unilateral vertical jumps), speed (20 meter sprint), and agility (Agility T- Test) in collegiate soccer players compared to a traditional bilateral-based training program. Due to the fact that a majority of the research on performance variables in athletes is done using bilateral lifting and plyometric programs, yet most movements in field sports such as sprinting and changing direction are unilateral-based, this specific topic could have value for enhanced performance for athletic populations. The participants included 34 male and female Division-I soccer players who …

Participation In Youth Running Events: The Role Of Parental Involvement And Satisfaction, Michelle L. Redmond

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

An increasing number of running events are being targeted to youth and are adding to the growing road racing industry. Offering running events for children along with a lineup of races ranging from 5K runs to marathons for adults is a way for race organizers to expand their businesses, increase economic impact in their communities and meet the needs of the entire family. In addition to economic benefits, there are other benefits associated with running events for youth. Community running events provide one potential intervention to counter rising childhood obesity rates by increasing the levels of physical activity for youth. …

The Impacts Of Formal Training On The Motivation Of Middle-Aged Runners, Margaret Turley

Master's Level Papers/Projects

The problem of this study was to understand the motivational factors behind middle-aged adults who take up running, and whether or not formal training is used by this population to aid in meeting their training goals. To determine this, two surveys were distributed to running groups hosted on social media. The first survey was geared toward middle-aged runners, and the second survey was geared toward trainers and running coaches who train middle-aged runners. The results of the survey were 183 runner participants and one trainer participant. Due to the lack of sufficient data, the trainer survey was not used in …

Missed School Days: A Correlational Study Between Children With Asthma And Presence Of School Nurses, Shea Brodeur, Caitlyn O’Connor, Rebekah Synowietz, Carrie Carson, Olubukola Goboze, Cierra Patterson

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Currently, there is a lack of research on the relationship between full-time nurse presence in schools and absenteeism among school-aged children with asthma. The purpose of this paper is to determine the correlation between the amount of time school-aged children are absent and the amount of time a school nurse is absent. A nonexperimental quantitative descriptive correlational study will be conducted with 14 randomly selected participating schools in the Chesapeake public school district. Each school will receive a questionnaire inquiring about the number of asthmatic children enrolled in the school, number of absences of said children, weekly hours the school …

Therapeutic Breathing Techniques And Disparity Across Student Performance In English And Mathematics, Abha Gupta, Shana Pribesh, Norou Diawara

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This paper explores possible correlation between Therapeutic Breathing Techniques (TBT) and improved academic performance of low achieving students in elementary school. The intervention consisted of daily breathing exercises combining two forms of TBT, namely, deep breathing and alternate nostril breathing. A semester-long quantitative study with 85 second graders was conducted to investigate the impact of above intervention on English and mathematics scores. Following one semester of intervention, the gaps between the low and high achievers had narrowed and small but significant gain-scores were found for the low achievers who had practiced TBT. In contrast, in first and third grades, where …

Key Points From The Updated Guidelines On Exercise And Diabetes, Sheri R. Colberg

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

From the Introduction:

No doubt remains that the adoption and maintenance of physical activity is important for overall health and blood glucose management in individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. Recently, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) published updated recommendations and precautions about physical activity and exercise in people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes (1). Given the importance of these topics, it is worth discussing the key changes and updates included in this ADA position statement (PS).

Overweight, Obesity, And Screen-Time Viewing Among Chinese School-Aged Children: National Prevalence Estimates From The 2016 Physical Activity And Fitness In China—The Youth Study, Yujun Cai, Xihe Zhu, Xueping Wu

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study presents the most recent estimates of prevalence of overweight, obesity, and screen-time viewing among Chinese school-aged children. Demographic differences in these estimates between sexes and resident locales were also examined.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of 116,615 Chinese school children 9 to 17 years of age who participated in the 2016 Physical Activity and Fitness in China—the Youth Study project. Outcomes were the prevalence of children's overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 85th - < 95th percentile) and obesity (BMI ≥95th percentile) (defined by the Working Group on Obesity in China) and not meeting screen-time viewing recommendations (“not meeting” was defined as more than 2 h per day of viewing activities after school). Analyses were conducted on the whole sample and by school grade cohorts (primary, junior middle, junior high schools), sex, and residence locales (urban, rural).

Results: Overall, 14.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.8%-15.0%) of children and adolescents were overweight, 11.9% (95% CI: 11.0%-13.0%) were obese, and 36.8% (95% …

Gopher Fitstep Pro Accuracy When Measuring Steps And Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity, Ali Brian, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: The Gopher FITStep Pro (GFSP) is a commercially available objective physical activity monitor that records steps taken and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the GFSP for measuring steps taken in a guided walking condition and MVPA during planned fitness activities.

Method: University-aged participants (N = 35, M_age = 20) wore two GFSP (right and left side) pedometers and one ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer during both conditions.

Results: Paired samples t-tests determined that self-step counts in the guided walking condition were not significantly different …

The Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model: An Examination Of Obesity Prevention Behavioral Change In Children Who Participated In The Afterschool Program Virginia Beach Let’S Move, Marilyn Miroshlava Bartholmae

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model (IMB) as a foundation to design childhood obesity prevention afterschool programs. This study employed a secondary analysis of pre (n=172), post (n=170), and 1-year follow-up (n=32) evaluations of the obesity prevention afterschool program Virginia Beach Let’s Move for children ages 5-11 years. Independent variables included demographic characteristics for the participating children and their parents. Dependent variables used in this study were the IMB constructs information and motivation. Motivation was measured by the attitudes of the children and information was measured by the children’s knowledge.

The …

Factors Influence High School Students' Enrollment In Elective Physical Education: A Mixed Method Study, Summer Davis

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing high school students’ enrollment in elective physical education (PE). Three groups of students emerged based on enrollment choice: those enrolling in elective PE (CPE, 26%), those not enrolling (NPE, 38%), and those who were uncertain about their enrollment in elective PE (UPE, 36%). Participants (n=69) completed the Expectancy-Value and Sport Motivation questionnaires to measure their motivation in PE, and a subsection of students (n=47) wore accelerometers for approximately four days to measure their habitual weekday physical activity (PA). Qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions and semi-structured focus group …

The Relationship Between Landing Error Scoring System-Real Time And Dorsiflexion Range Of Motion In Recreational Athletes, Hannah M. Twiddy

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Participation in physical activity is important for overall health; however, lower extremity injuries are a major risk associated with physical activity. Injuries can lead to time away from physical activity and be associated with negative health consequences. The most common injuries are traumatic injuries to the knee and ankle; which may be related to poor landing mechanics and decreased range of motion. Previous research utilizing motion analysis systems have determined people with greater dorsiflexion range of motion (DROM) demonstrated smaller ground reaction forces and greater knee and hip flexion displacement while landing; indicating a softer landing strategy. The ability to …

The Effects Of Fitness Level And Sex On Epoc Following High Intensity Interval And Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise, Rachel Lauren Simmons

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

In the past few years, much attention has been directed toward shorter-duration vigorous intensity aerobic exercise as opposed to longer-duration moderate intensity exercise. There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise can result in a greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and thus more calories burned when compared to moderate continuous exercise performed for a longer duration. In addition, the literature contains a dearth of information isolating and investigating male and female response to these exercises, as well as fit and unfit subjects. The purpose of this study was to quantify EPOC following moderate intensity aerobic exercise (MOD) and …

Elementary Physical Education Teachers’ Content Knowledge And Pedagogical Content Knowledge Of Overhand Throwing, James Allen Parrott

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The complexity of physical education instruction provides unique challenges for the physical education teacher. In this research, I sought to describe and examine the types of knowledge that physical education teachers use to inform their instructional practices. I also explored the relation between teaching experience and components of content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in overhand throwing. Specifically, what are the task representations, common content knowledge, and specialized content knowledge during an overhand throwing unit of novice, beginning, and accomplished elementary teachers? A naturalistic, qualitative approach involving three elementary physical education teachers examined the elements that they used in the …

Evaluation Of A Concept-Based Physical Education Unit For Energy Balance Education, Senlin Chen, Xihe Zhu, Jared Androzzi, Yoon Ho Nam

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Physical education (PE) is a key channel that impacts children's decisions and behaviors for healthful living. This study evaluated the effects of a concept-based PE (CBPE) instructional unit, featured by energy balance (EB) education, on students' knowledge learning, situational interest, cognitive, and physical engagements as well as teachers' perceptions.

Methods: Fourth and 5th grade students (n = 468) in a mid-western state of the United States were recruited as the participants. Four elementary schools were randomized to the CBPE or control groups. Students' EB knowledge, situational interest, cognitive engagement, and physical engagement were measured by a knowledge …

Educational Practices And Attainment Of Competency In The Professional Preparation Of An Athletic Trainer, Julie M. Cavallario

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The professional education of athletic trainers will continue to evolve as the needs of the profession, and the healthcare system, change. In current educational practices the educational preparation of an athletic trainer can take place at the undergraduate or post-baccalaureate level. Additionally, there are no universally applicable outcome measures for comparison of student performance in the clinical education portion of existing curriculums.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the existing education practices, especially relevant to clinical education, currently in place for athletic training (AT) at the professional level. The purpose of the literature review was to historically examine, …

Underlying Dimensions Of The "Physical Educators' Judgments About Inclusion" Instrument: Brazilian-Version, Samuel R. Hodge, Paulo José Barbosa Gutierres Filho, Justin A. Haegele, Francis M. Kozub

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background/Objective: The available information pertaining to the attitudes of Brazilian physical education teachers about teaching students with disabilities is limited in the extant literature base. Rationally, however, scholars argue that determining, analyzing, and theorizing about the attitudes of physical education teachers is important in the preparation and professional development of these teachers. It is therefore important to extend the research base using valid and reliable measures regarding teachers’ attitudes about inclusion and teaching students with various disabilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the underlying dimensions of the Physical Educators’ Judgments about Inclusion (PEJI) scale following translation …

Five For Life: Evaluating The Effect Of An Activity-Based Fitness And Health Curricula Program On Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Health-Related Knowledge, And Attitudinal Outcomes, Kimberly Grimes Baskette

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Currently, childhood obesity is the largest health threat facing youth in the United States. The majority of youth fail to meet the minimum recommended daily physical activity requirements set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Poor physical fitness levels and nutritional habits are also prevalent in today's youth. Schools have been identified as playing a crucial role in providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors and attitudes. School-based Health and Physical Education (HPE) programs, focused on promoting physical activity, fitness, and nutrition, have been shown to be an effective …

Evidence-Based Practice For The Athletic Training Profession, Cailee Elizabeth Welch

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

As evidence-based practice (EBP) becomes a necessity in athletic training, it is essential to recognize current barriers and modes of accessibility to information for enhancement of clinical decision-making. Furthermore, the effectiveness of educational interventions (EI) to enhance knowledge of EBP concepts must be investigated. The aim of Project I was to assess attitudes and beliefs, perceived barriers, and accessibility to resources of EBP among athletic trainers (AT). Project II was designed to investigate the effect of an EI on enhancing AT's knowledge of EBP concepts. Project III explored ATs' experiences of the EI and whether it elicited changes within their …

An Examination Of Alcohol Expectations And Social Desirability In Fraternity Members On American College Campuses, Pietro A. Sasso

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

Males who are members of American college fraternal organizations remain one of the heaviest drinking populations among college students (Wall, 2006). Within fraternities, alcohol use is ceded to social status (Larimer et al., 1997). This culturally ingrained alcohol misuse has confounded interventions and programming to address this phenomenon and response to these attempts have been low or nonexistent by fraternity members. This study investigated alcohol expectations and social desirability among fraternity members. It was hypothesized that as members enter and remain in the fraternity culture, distorted expectations and socially desirable behaviors may occur as demonstrated by differences between pledges and …

Curriculum Matters: Learning Science-Based Fitness Knowledge In Constructivist Physical Education, Haichun Sun, Ang Chen, Xihe Zhu, Catherine D. Ennis

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Teaching fitness-related knowledge has become critical in developing children's healthful living behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a science-based, constructivist physical education curriculum on learning fitness knowledge critical to healthful living in elementary school students. The schools ( N = 30) were randomly selected from one of the largest school districts in the United States and randomly assigned to treatment curriculum and control conditions. Students in third, fourth, and fifth grade ( N = 5,717) were pre- and posttested on a standardized knowledge test on exercise principles and benefits in cardiorespiratory health, muscular capacity, …

Influence Of Personal And Lesson Factors On Caloric Expenditure In Physical Education, Ang Chen, Haichun Sun, Xihe Zhu, Catherine D. Ennis

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: Increasing caloric expenditure in physical education is considered an effective school-based approach to addressing the child obesity epidemic. This study was designed to determine synergistic influences of student characteristics and lesson factors on caloric expenditure in elementary and middle school physical education.

Methods: The study used a multi-level design. Level-1 factors included personal characteristics: age, gender, and body mass index. Level-2 factors included lesson length, content, and school level. Based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention age-gender adjusted growth chart, students in 87 classes from 14 elementary and 15 middle schools were pre-screened into "Overweight", "Healthy weight", …

Positive Youth Development: A Resiliency Based Afterschool Program Case Study, Lindsey Brown, Eddie Hill, Amy Shellman, Edwin Gomez

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Faculty Publications

This study examined the impact of an afterschool program on resilience in youth at an elementary school in Central NY. The goals of the program were to: (a) increase resiliency among participants, and (b) reduce the occurrence of aggressive behaviors (i.e., bullying) in 5th and 6th graders. Of the 79 students who completed the survey, 19 participants were able to be matched with pre- and posttests. In the study, 13 as participants in the afterschool program, and six as non-participants. Results of paired samples t-tests indicated that those who participated in the afterschool program showed a significant increase (p= 0.05) …

Optimizing Chronic Slow Breathing Training To Cause A Therapeutic Effect On Heart Rate Variability, Jennifer Joy Brown

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to determine the basic state of an individual's autonomic health. The current study attempted to establish the minimum frequency of breathing practice necessary to produce a therapeutic effect on HRV over the course of a four-week period with four different treatment groups, specifically, groups that practiced a slow breathing protocol for either 2, 3 or 5 times per week, and a control group. Forty-three subjects (14 males, 29 females), ages 18–50 years, were screened, pre-tested, matched for sex, age and HRV, assigned to a specific group …

Evidence-Based Practice In Clinical Athletic Training Education, Dorice A. Hankemeier

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) concepts are becoming more prevalent in the educational curricula of nursing, medicine, physical therapy, and athletic training. The infusion of EBP in the clinical education experience of students has been slow especially in athletic training. The aim of Project I was to investigate approved clinical instructors (ACIs) experience and implementation of EBP with students through emergent design qualitative interviews. Project II was designed to develop and establish the reliability of the Evidence-Based Concepts Assessment (EBCA) to assess athletic trainers' perceived importance, attitudes & beliefs, knowledge, confidence, accessibility, and barriers of EBP. Project III investigated the importance, knowledge, …

Student Knowledge, Attitudes, And Use Of Evidence-Based Concepts Following An Educational Intervention, Sarah A. Manspeaker, Bonnie Van Lunen, Paula S. Turocy, Shana Pribesh, Dorice Hankemeier

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: While evidence-based practice (EBP) concepts are being taught in health profession education programs, models of instruction and effectiveness of these models are not evident in athletic training.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Evidence-Based Teaching Model (EBTM) in increasing student knowledge, attitudes, and use of evidence-based concepts.

Design: Within subjects design with pre- and post-test evaluations of students' knowledge, attitudes, and intended use using the researcher-developed Evidence-Based Concepts: Knowledge, Attitudes and Use (EBCKAU) survey. Setting: CAATE-accredited undergraduate programs.

Participants: Eighty-two students from a stratified purposeful sample of 9 institutions were enrolled in the study, 78 students (95%) completed …

Educator Perceptions Of The Evidence-Based Teaching Model In Undergraduate Athletic Training Education, Sarah A. Manspeaker, Bonnie Van Lunen, Paula S. Turocy, Shana Pribesh, Dorice Hankemeier

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: While research recommends that health professions expand the instruction and use of evidence-based practice (EBP) due to the individualized approach to patient health care, few examples of the incorporation of EBP into academic courses exist in athletic training.

Objective: To evaluate educators' perceptions of the Evidence-Based Teaching Model (EBTM) as a strategy to introduce EBP concepts to athletic training (AT) students.

Design: Qualitative program evaluation including semi-structured interviews. Setting: Institutions that sponsor CAATE-accredited professional undergraduate programs.

Participants: Stratified purposeful sampling of 9 experienced educators (2 males, 7 females average years teaching 8 plus or minus 5 years) teaching therapeutic …

Namaste: Pedagogical Methods For Designing Yoga & Art Experiences For/With Teen Participants, Tiffani Olivia Bryant

English Theses & Dissertations

Within this study, teens are asked to analyze yoga studio homepages in relation to their experiences with the practice of yoga. This dissertation research engages the teen girls as participants responsible for co-designing the learning constructs through which they make meaning out of their experiences. This research is rooted in informational design, experiential design, and design practices for a teen demographic through the artifact of yoga.

Participant observation is used to examine how eight teen girls understand yoga as a practice, internalize their experiences with yoga, and thusly communicate what they have learned about yoga and a sampling of digital …

Evidence-Based Practice In Undergraduate Athletic Training Education, Sarah A. Manspeaker

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

As Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) has progressed within medicine, nursing, and physical therapy, athletic training has been subsequently slow to infuse EBP and its associated concepts at the professional level. The aim of Project I was to determine athletic training instructors experience and use of evidence-based concepts (EBC) during instruction through emergent design qualitative interviews. Project II was designed to establish the Evidence-Based Teaching Model (EBTM) as a tool for athletic training educators' to use to introduce EBP concepts to professional students.

Project I featured 11 educators from Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) programs. Instructors identified primary approaches …