A study of the connection between Illinois's undergraduate physical education teacher programs and the Illinois learning standards for physical development and health

Includes bibliographical references (pages [164]-170)This study gathered information from physical education majors enrolled in a Spring 2001 student teaching practicum and their university supervisors. Perceptions from those two groups provided insight into prospective physical education graduates' ability to implement and assess student learning based on the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health , implementation of the standards during student teaching experiences, and the curricula of physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. The study examined differences in perceptions between the two groups. Finally, the study investigated required and optional coursework in undergraduate physical education teacher education programs and their consistency with the Illinois State Goals 19–24. Twenty-eight university supervisors and 125 physical education student teachers from 17 Illinois institutions of higher education completed questionnaires that were designed to examine perceptions of the two groups. The findings indicated that student teachers gave higher ratings in each of the three parts of the questionnaire, with statistical significance being attained in a variety of areas at the p < .05 and p < .01 levels. Content analyses of required and optional coursework in PETE programs suggest that sport and leisure activities are the primary emphasis of the curricula at the 17 institutions.Ed.D. (Doctor of Education