Michigan Physical Education Evaluation: Can a PE Curriculum focusing on instruction progression for skill acquisition improve motor skills in elementary students?

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Lisa Russell, PhD¹, Trina Boyle-Holmes², Lisa Grost, MHSA³, B.A. Laris, MPH¹, Susan Potter, MS¹, Leah Robin, PhD⁴, and Elizabeth Haller, MEd⁴. (1) Research Department, ETR Associates, 4 Carbonero Way, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, 831-438-4060, LISAR@ETR.ORG, (2) School Health, Michigan Department of Education, 608 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48909, (3) Michigan Department of Health, 3423 N. MLK Jr., Blvd, Lansing, MI 48906, (4) Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE, MS K-33, Atlanta, GA 30341

Michigan youth exhibit several health risk factors. To address this, Michigan has supported the development of the Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC). EPEC is a program designed to enhance fitness levels, motor skills, knowledge, personal, and social skills to equip students to be active for life. Over time increased competence in these skills is postulated to lead to improved confidence and fitness levels. The purpose of this study is to determine whether children exposed to EPEC in 4th and 5th grades demonstrate better motor skill disposing them toward physical activity as compared with their peers taught a standard care physical education curriculum. The evaluation included eight schools teaching EPEC and eight schools using other curricula. In the fall 2003, 1464 4th and 5th grade students agreed to participate in this two year study. In spring 2005, 82% of the students (n=1195) completed the study. The analytic approach used multilevel models to evaluate EPEC effects. Results over two years indicated that students from the intervention schools across both grades significantly increased their ability in two motor skills, forehand strike (p=<.001) and lift and carry posture (p=.04) compared to students receiving other PE curricula. EPEC students also showed trends for higher levels of physical activity knowledge, and motor skill self-efficacy compared to comparison students. These results support the use of a curriculum that uses instructional progressions for skill acquisition to improve elementary students' development of motor skills for a foundation of lifelong activity.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

Identify key components used to measure PE programs’ impact on student motor skill, psycho-social, and fitness outcomes.
Understand differences in motor skill outcomes between a skills acquisition PE curriculum and standard of care PE curricula.
Describe strategies to improve the development of elementary students’ motor skills.

Keywords: Physical Activity, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation

Fitness for School-aged Children and Youth

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA