Physical and Health Education Major

The physical and health education major and adapted physical education licensure are designed for students who wish to acquire the diverse competencies needed to teach physical education, health education, and adapted physical education at the Pre-K-12 level. This program provides students with competencies necessary to meet Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requirements.

Physical and Health Education (K-12) Major

All physical education majors must be proficient to the intermediate level in swimming; a Water Safety Instructor and/or Lifeguarding certificate is strongly recommended.

Learning Outcomes for Physical and Health Education

Upon graduation and entry into the profession of Physical and Health Education, the individual will:

1. Articulate basic physical education knowledge, central physical education concepts, and pedagogical practices within the field of physical education. Articulate basic health knowledge, central health concepts, health tools of inquiry, and pedagogical practices within the field of health education.
2. Develop a professional philosophy consistent with current National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and state physical education standards, developmentally appropriate curriculum and instructional design, assessment, and professional development. Develop a professional philosophy consistent with current research findings and best practices in health education, curriculum and instructional design, assessment and professional development.
3. Identify the role, function, and responsibility of a physical education teacher and physical education program coordinator as part of the K-12 physical education program. Identify the role, function, and responsibility of a health education teacher and health education program coordinator as part of the comprehensive school health program.
4. Assess informally student physical education and health education needs based on a student’s prior physical education experiences, physical fitness level, interests and needs in order to implement quality physical education instruction. Assess informally student health needs based on a student’s prior knowledge, interests and needs in order to implement quality health instruction.
5. Identify and articulate the concepts and skills contained in the current state and NASPE physical education standards in the development of curriculum and instruction. Identify and articulate current state and national health standards in the development of curriculum and instruction. Identify and articulate the concepts and skills contained in the current state and national health standards in the development of curriculum and instruction.
6. Design and deliver developmentally appropriate instructional programs based on stated goals and objectives contained in the current state and NASPE standards. Design and deliver developmentally appropriate instructional programs based on stated goals and objectives contained in the current state and national health standards, assessment data, utilizing the CDC guidelines for effective school health programs as the major health content organizer.
7. Analyze and articulate the social, cultural, economic and political factors that affect physical education engagement, home-school relations, and classroom strategies in physical and health education.
8. Evaluate commercial physical education programs as well as state, national, and international resources utilizing research-based principles in physical education curriculum, instruction and assessment. Critically evaluate developmentally appropriate commercial health education programs as well as state, national, and international resources utilizing research-based and best practices principles in health education curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
9. Implement effective developmentally appropriate instructional approaches including the use of media and technology, multiple intelligences, differentiated instruction and brain-based learning that will create learning experiences that will meet the diverse needs of pupils, the community and curricular goals.
10. Apply formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the pupil.
11. Reflect and evaluate the impact of their instructional capacity on others (e.g. learners, parents/guardians, and other professionals) as well as their classroom management skills and seek opportunities to grow professionally (i.e. Wisconsin Family and Consumer Educators, and Wisconsin Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance).

Fees

Specific courses that require use of equipment and disposable supplies are assigned a course fee.

Academic Progression Standards

The academic progression standards for the physical and health education major are presented in the Progression Standards   section of this catalog.