If you’re a graduate student trying to navigate the exciting world of physical education research, I have some fantastic news for you. We are officially launching the AERA SIG93 Graduate Student Network!
To shed light on the review and journal publishing process, I recently spoke with editors from some of the leading journals in our field: the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education (JTPE), Quest, Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (PESP), and Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education. This blog covers the structure and scope of the journals as well as their views on AI, open access, and myriad other topics.
For educators and community partners, REACH offers a replicable template: pair a strength-based PYD framework with sport skills, embed character education in every drill, and protect the gym door—both literally and figuratively. In doing so, we can help young people “shoot for” safer, healthier lives, whether or not they ever hear their name on draft night.
Starting a career in higher education is both exciting and daunting. For those in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), the path to becoming a faculty member is shaped by a complex process of faculty socialization—the way we learn the norms, values, and expectations of the academic profession. A recent scoping review led by Dr. Nicolette Suchon, now at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, sheds light on how this process unfolds and what challenges—and opportunities—emerge along the way
The study underscores a simple truth: if your athletes are new to the weight room, almost any wellcoached bilateral lower-body lift will spark rapid adaptations. The dramatic improvements in both hip thrust and squat strength (≈30 % or more) reflect motor learning gains as much as muscular development, typical in novices
Forty-one 5th and 6thgrade students (81 % Hispanic; average age = 10.7 y) from a Title I school wore both monitors for seven days while baseline fitness tests were collected. Only 27 students received an ActiGraph due to device shortages, but 38 received SQORD bands, allowing direct device comparisons in the subgroup that wore both.
Landi and colleagues conducted an exhaustive search of nine databases, screening 230 abstracts to curate 76 manuscripts for analysis. Empirical research (n = 37) surged after 2012, with 40 % of studies published in the 20122018 band—a clear uptick that justifies the “rising tide” metaphor.
However, the tide looks thinner on closer inspection. Research journals host 81 % of empirical papers, yet only 33 % of those appear in PE-specific journals; Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy and Sport, Education & Society together publish 75 % of the PE journal content. The Physical Educator and Quest are the only US PE journals to feature an LGBTQ study in the sample.
In a recent podcast conversation, I had the chance to sit down with Dr. Aaron Beighle from the University of Kentucky—an influential voice in physical education who has spent his career connecting research to practice. Our discussion ranged from the evolution of physical education, to the role of teacher preparation, to the ever-present challenge of ensuring PE remains relevant in today’s schools.
In a recent conversation with Dr. Sean Fullerton from Towson University, we dug into a timely and practical question for physical educators: how do teachers view and use fitness-based technology in their classes? The discussion centered on a study examining the adoption of PLT4M, a fitness software designed to track, support, and enhance student learning in physical education.
We discuss research, theory and current issues in the fields of health and physical education in an easy to understand way. Our aim is to make research accessible to educators and university students from all over the globe.
