An analysis of selected physical education requirements for elementary teachers at North Carolina colleges and universities.

Abstract

It was the intent of this study to observe the professional preparation requirements of elementary education majors in the area of physical education at forty-four public and private colleges and universities in North Carolina. The National Conference of Fitness of Children of Elementary Age, in 1959, recommended that teacher education institutions should cooperate with state departments of education in an effort to require elementary school teachers to take specific courses in health and physical education. Those recommendations have been implemented in North Carolina colleges and universities.

A review of literature infers that there are three basic areas of concern in elementary physical education: (1) the benefits of elementary physical education, (2) the reasons why elementary classroom teachers teach physical education, and (3) the preparation of elementary teachers to teach physical education. Equally represented in the literature are data upon which solutions to the elementary school physical education problems may be resolved. In North Carolina, like other states, the classroom teacher is required to teach physical education in the elementary schools to some degree. This practice has existed for many years and the promise of change is remote.

A Content Analysis of the course requirements as reflected through a questionnaire and the course outlines/syllabi was conducted. The data were observed from two angles. The first observed demographic information regarding courses and course offerings at the various Institutions of Higher Education (IHE). Secondly, course outlines/syllabi were analyzed to determine the presence and absence of North Carolina State Competencies/Guidelines. The study examined public and private IHE separately and then compared the results for each, respectively and comparatively.

The new knowledge the project contributed were recommendations that were derived from the study along with a source of information that may be used to improve the professional preparation of elementary educators to teach physical education in the public and private elementary schools of North Carolina.