Psychological attributes of sports persons


Book Description

The domain of sports and games has become the yardstick to measure the status of a nation. The global interest in sports performance is due to the fact that social systems around the world have acknowledged the significance of sports competitions. The increased interest of the public in physical exercises has generated a considerable interest in research to examine the various physiological as well as psychological parameters of training and competitions.




Educating the Student Body


Book Description

Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.







Inclusive Physical Education


Book Description

Abstract: The inclusion of students with various disabilities in general physical education has become increasingly common in schools. Within the context of physical education, inclusion has been defined as a philosophical perspective that advocates the placement of all students with varied abilities and disabilities (mild to severe) into classes with peers in their neighborhood schools (Block, 2000; Hodge, Murata, Kozub, and Sherrill, in-review). However, there is limited research concerning the attitudes of students with and without disabilities towards each other relative to inclusion in physical education. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and behaviors of 6th grade students with and without disabilities relative to being educated in an inclusionary physical education program. Participants were students with disabilities (_n = 2) and students without disabilities (_n = 16) from a rural middle school in Midwestern Ohio. Contact theory's structured contact variables (Allport, 1954; Sherrill, Heikinaro-Johansson, Slininger, 1994) served as the theoretical frame for this study. Data collection and triangulation involved both quantitative and qualitative methods. Overall, findings suggest that students with and without disabilities exhibited positive attitudes and behaviors towards one another within an inclusionary physical education program. More specifically, responses to the Children's Attitudes Toward Integrated Physical Education (Block, 1995) attitudinal instrument revealed that students without disabilities held positive attitudes toward including peers with disabilities (i.e., mental retardation and physical disability). In support of this finding, the Analysis of Inclusion Practices in Physical Education (Hodge et al., 2000) behavioral observation instrument showed that when interactions did occur, students with and without disabilities mostly interacted in appropriate ways. In addition, responses to The Inventory (Webb, 2000) attitudinal scale indicated that students with disabilities (i.e., a girl with mental retardation and a boy with a physical disability) held favorable attitudes towards their peers without disabilities. Again, this finding was supported by themes that emerged from semi-structured interviews suggesting that positive relationships and interactions did occur between students with and without disabilities, and their teachers. Overall findings in this study lend support to contact theory's structural contact variables (Sherrill et al., 1994). Importantly, this study allowed us to gain additional insight regarding the attitudes and behaviors of students with and without disabilities toward one another in an inclusive physical education program.




Routledge Handbook of Physical Education Pedagogies


Book Description

The first fully comprehensive review of theory, research and practice in physical education to be published in over a decade, this handbook represents an essential, evidence-based guide for all students, researchers and practitioners working in PE. Showcasing the latest research and theoretical work, it offers important insights into effective curriculum management, student learning, teaching and teacher development across a variety of learning environments. This handbook not only examines the methods, influences and contexts of physical education in schools, but also discusses the implications for professional practice. It includes both the traditional and the transformative, spanning physical education pedagogies from the local to the international. It also explores key questions and analysis techniques used in PE research, illuminating the links between theory and practice. Its nine sections cover a wide range of topics including: curriculum theory, development, policy and reform transformative pedagogies and adapted physical activity educating teachers and analysing teaching the role of student and teacher cognition achievement motivation. Offering an unprecedented wealth of material, the Routledge Handbook of Physical Education Pedagogies is an essential reference for any undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme in physical education or sports coaching, and any teacher training course with a physical education element.




The role of evidence in developing effective educational inclusion


Book Description

There has been considerable interest internationally in how research can be effectively translated to have an impact on practice in schools. The application of evidence informed approaches in the field of education is contested and debated. Such debates are intensified in relation to the issue of how best to include children with diverse learning needs in the classroom. The role of knowledge, science and evidence in how we both conceptualize and best support children with special educational needs and other forms of diversity in the classroom, remains an open question in terms of booth policy and practice. Although there is a considerable and growing body of literature on evidence informed practice in education in general, there has been less attention paid to its implications for the domain of educational inclusion specifically. However, tensions between differing conceptualisations of difference and the role of categorisation present questions as yet not fully answered as to the ways in which evidence can and should articulate with practice in this specific domain. For example, issues of what is inclusion, the place of norms and values that define inclusion, how we conceptualize and think about difference, across culture, language and cognition, are raised when we think about the application of evidence to practice in the area of educational inclusion.










Inclusive Leisure


Book Description

Inclusive Leisure: A Strengths-Based Approach With HKPropel Access blends theoretical and practical information to prepare students to apply the concept of inclusivity to all aspects of the leisure and recreation field. Inclusive Leisure delivers foundational content to help readers understand inclusion and applies this knowledge to practical and applied scenarios. Grounded in a strengths-based approach, which focuses on a person’s abilities rather than their limitations, the comprehensive text moves beyond programming and service delivery by exploring how inclusivity can be applied to administrative practices, organizational philosophy, personnel practices, infrastructure design, community relations, marketing, and more. Throughout the text, pedagogical aids such as learning outcomes, chapter summaries, and reflection questions help students retain and apply knowledge. Inclusive Leisure also includes the following features to enhance student engagement: Professionals in Action sidebars offer a real-world look at the common issues and inclusive solutions that have been employed by professionals in the field. Spotlight on Inclusion sidebars highlight leisure programs that are successfully practicing inclusion in a variety of settings. Global View on Inclusion sidebars illustrate the work of international organizations that are committed to spreading inclusive practices around the globe. Online learning tools delivered through HKPropel include sample forms and checklists, learning activities, website links, and chapter quizzes that are automatically graded to test comprehension of critical concepts. Part I of Inclusive Leisure outlines fundamental concepts needed to ground professional practice in inclusion. It defines the strengths-based approach and examines foundational and theoretical concepts as well as the legislation that mandates inclusive leisure services. Part II provides in-depth information on inclusive practices that can be used by leisure service professionals to ensure a positive experience for all individuals with disabilities. It challenges readers to go beyond inclusive programs and to apply inclusion in all organizational aspects. Part III offers applied information and examples of inclusion across the breadth of leisure services, including programming in sports, fitness, aquatics, art, outdoor adventure, travel and tourism, special events, and more. Inclusive Leisure asserts that disability is simply part of the human condition, that the strengths and abilities of people with disabilities must be at the forefront of inclusion, and that access to inclusive leisure is a matter of social justice and a critical professional practice. By learning theoretical and legal foundations, building on that knowledge with a multitude of applied elements, and establishing their practice in a strengths-based approach, students will be well prepared to create inclusive leisure environments and programming. Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with this ebook.