Adherence to Appropriate Instructional Practice Guidelines in American College and University Physical Activity Programs

Background/Purpose: Higher education physical activity programs (HEPAP) in physical education have existed in American college and universities for over 100 years. Initially used to teach physical education and promote physical activity to prepare students for potential wartime conflicts, they have evolved in response to changes in societal and educational purposes and needs. In 2008, NASPE published its updated Guidelines for Appropriate Instructional Practice in Higher Education Physical Activity Programs. The guidelines educate professionals about effective physical education for post-secondary students, but knowledge of their use is limited. The purpose of the study was to examine familiarity and adherence to these guidelines.;Method: Researchers developed and piloted an electronic survey to assess familiarity and adherence with the guidelines related to curriculum and instruction. The survey included 61- items arranged in pre-existing content areas: Administration/Support, Assessment, Instruction Strategies, Professionalism, Learning Environment, and Curriculum. The survey was distributed to HEPAP representatives at U.S. colleges/universities offering a physical education teaching degree (N=596).;Analysis/Results: In total, 159 participants (26.7%) initiated the survey with 90 (15.1%) providing usable responses and the remaining 69 (11.5%) excluded due to no HEPAP or incomplete data. The data were transformed into categorical levels indicating a high degree of overall familiarity (96.7% full or partially familiar) and adherence (99% full or partially adherent). Full adherence to the content areas ranged from 91.8% (Administration/Support) to 0% (Instruction Strategies). Significant associations between Administration/Support and location (AAHPERD district)( chi2(10, n=71) = 23.98, p= .008) and Assessment and location (chi2(10, n=90) =19.39, p=.036) were seen.;Conclusions: College physical education programs have been called on to provide students opportunities to develop an appreciation for, and increased participation in lifetime activity. While overall adherence to relevant professional guidelines appears high among HEPAPs, there is room for improvement in selected areas including Instruction Strategies and Assessment.;Key Words: program evaluation, college physical activity program, college student