An evaluation of the physical education programs in the four-year institutions of higher education under the control of the Tennessee State Board of Regents.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze the data needed to evaluate the status of the physical education programs in the six four-year institutions of higher education under the control of the Tennessee State Board of Regents. The participating institutions included Austin Peay State University, East Tennessee State University, Memphis State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, and Tennessee Technological University. The Neilson-Comer-Griffin Score Card was utilized in this study to evaluate the six major areas of the total physical education program. The six areas were instructional staff, facilities, program (organization), program (activities), administration, and professional education curricula.

Three sources were used to gather the data. These included: (1) personal interviews--each of the six campuses was visited so that personal interviews could be held with each physical education department chairperson, athletic director, and intramural director; (2) faculty questionnaire--each faculty member was requested to complete a questionnaire concerning his/her professional background; and (3) the 1979-1980 college catalogues--the catalogues were reviewed to ascertain specific course offerings at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels.

The findings revealed:

Program (activities) was the highest rated unit by the universities, lacking only one percentage point of being rated at above average. Program (organization) was the lowest rated unit receiving a below average rating. The remaining large units of the score card received an average rating.

One institution received an overall rating of above average. Three universities received an overall rating of average, and two universities received an overall rating of below average.

The universities scored above 83 percent in five of the ten sub-units in the large unit, program (organization). The institutions were rated above average in providing activities for their students in their service, intramural, and athletic programs.

According to the Neilson-Comer-Griffin Score Card, the overall mean score for the six four-year institutions of higher education under the control of the Tennessee State Board of Regents was 73 percent or a rating of average.