Award Date

5-1-2012

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Sports Education Leadership

First Committee Member

Monica Lounsbery

Second Committee Member

Jerry Landwer

Third Committee Member

Antonio Santo

Fourth Committee Member

Sheniz Moonie

Number of Pages

62

Abstract

Physical education is recommended for its potential to promote and provide physical activity. However, in high school settings students can commonly participate in other specified physical activity related programs in lieu of physical education and these programs are referred to as physical education waivers. Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) is a common physical education waiver program. Although the criteria used to establish JROTC as a waiver program for physical education is unclear, anecdotally similar accrual of physical activity appears to be a main rationale. The primary purpose of this study was to examine student physical activity levels, lesson contexts, and the promotion of physical activity outside of class time in physical education and JROTC. The secondary purpose was to describe curricular goals and objectives in physical education and JROTC. Forty high school physical education lessons and 40 JROTC lessons from four high schools were systematically observed using the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to describe physical activity levels, lesson contexts, and the time teachers spent promoting physical activity outside of class time in physical education and JROTC lessons. Results showed that students were engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) 60% of time in physical education and 24% of the time in JROTC. Additionally, promotion of physical activity outside of class time was minimal in both settings but much greater in JROTC (23 times) than in physical education (3 times). Furthermore, physical education and JROTC programs contrasted greatly relative to course syllabi goals, objectives and policies.

Physical education and JROTC had more differences than program similarities. The most critical difference was that students in physical education were engaged in MVPA three times as much than students in JROTC. The fee structure in physical education was fairly consistent, around $20.00, and the fees in JROTC ranged from $15.00 to $50.00 with additional fees that would occur throughout the course of the school year. Program cost differences may default lower SES students to enrollment in physical education while, higher SES students have opportunity to choose waiver options. Policy requiring annual program evaluation and teacher professional development in physical education and JROTC would likely promote optimal PA outcomes.

Keywords

Armed Forces – Reserves; Exercise; High school students; High schools; Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC); Physical activity; Physical education; Physical education and training; Waiver

Disciplines

Education | Sports Studies

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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