Theses and Dissertations - Department of Kinesiology

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Advancing sport education: the influence of negotiations prior to se, within se, and students’ autobiographical memories of multiple seasons
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2015) Wahl-Alexander, Zachary; Curtner-Smith, Matthew; Sinelnikov, Oleg A.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
All teaching includes a series of negotiations between teachers and student. Within traditional direct instruction, most negotiations are initiated by students. Such student-initiated negotiations tend to be negative in nature and aimed at changing or altering instructional tasks so that they are less demanding, reduce the performance standards for task completion, and modify the context in which the tasks are to be carried out. Furthermore, the pattern of student-initiated negotiations appears to vary within different curriculum models. Within Sport Education, a pedagogical model designed around “play education,” aimed at teaching sport, games, and physical education, there tend to be few negotiations based upon the indirect style of the model. This dissertation examined the influence of a training program on the ability of Pre-Service Teachers (PTs) to negotiate, the impact of one purposefully negotiated season of Sport Education on a teacher and his 18 students, and middle school students’ recollections of their participation in a significant number of Sport Education seasons over a period of 5 years. Data were collected by employing a wide variety of qualitative techniques including informal and formal interviews, focus group interviews, stimulated recall interviews, document analysis, reflective journaling, writing samples, and participant and non-participant observations. Data were analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. The major key findings were as follows: (a) the training program was effective in that it enhanced PTs’ ability to negotiate with their students, (b) a purposefully negotiated SE season was largely successful and the indications were that SE provided an excellent framework on which to build such a unit, (c) adherence to the central features of Sport Education and meaningful participation in several iterations of quality Sport Education seasons may be required for students to move closer to achieving the lofty goals of the model for students to become competent, literate and enthusiastic sportspeople. All findings indicate the numerous benefits of the Sport Education model.
Impact of heat stress and cooling strategies on body temperature and performance in elite tennis players
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Crew, Kermit Ray; Esco, Michael R.; Bishop, Phillip A.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Tennis matches are intense, of long induration, with brief recovery periods, played in hot environments. This subjects elite tennis athlete to heat stress. Whether high core temperature impacts performance, and whether performance decrements are attenuated with cooling, remains unknown. Three studies evaluated heat stress on rectal temperature (Tre), skin temperature (Tsk) and shot accuracy (SA) after performing high intensity exercise at 22 °C and 38 °C and relative humidities of 31% and 38% respectively. Study 1 compared Tre, Tsk, SA in a temperate environment (TE) and a hot environment (HOT). HOT trial Tre (38.5 ± 0.4 °C) and Tsk (35.0 ± 1.6 °C) were higher than TE (37.8 ± 0.7 °C and 32.0 ± 1.3 °C, respectively). SA decreased (p = 0.003) between TE [57.5 ± 17.9 au out of 100] and HOT (33.4 ± 4.0 au), with greatest reduction in players with highest scores. Study 2 examined cooling of abdominal walls and thighs during rest periods and recovery on Tre, SA. Tre increased between start and end of both trials (p < 0.008). Treatments didn’t mitigate increased Tre. Treatment SA increased (p < 0.05). Study 3 evaluated continuous cooling device (vest) plus ice-pack applications on thighs, during rest periods in the high intensity protocol and recovery in hot condition verses control on Tre, SA. A significant time by condition effect for Tre (p < 0.05). Tre at end of high intensity protocol in control was 38.3 ± 0.6 °C. Tre at end recovery in control was 38.4 ± 0.4 ° C. No difference between Tre at start of treatment condition (37.5 ± 0.6 °C) and end of high intensity exercise (38.0 ± 0.7 °C). Tre at the end of recovery (37.0 ± 1.4 °C) was lower than Tre at end of high intensity exercise (p < 0.008). Tre at the end of recovery in control was higher than Tre at end of recovery in treatment. SA increased in treatment condition versus control [(p < 0.05) and large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.38)]. Combined cooling mitigated the rise of Tre and increased SA in elite tennis athletes.
Inclusion in sport education: voices and participation of students with and without disability and teachers' perspectives
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Jackson, Allison Jordan; Sinelnikov, Oleg A.; Curtner-Smith, Matthew; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Sport Education has been suggested as an appropriate curriculum model to provide an environment conducive to accommodate many students at one time. The present study explored this notion, investigating (a) students without disabilities' conceptions and experiences of participating in a season of Sport Education alongside students with disabilities, (b) voices of students with disabilities regarding their perceptions and experiences of participation in a season of Sport Education, and (c) middle school physical education teachers' perceptions of using the Sport Education curriculum model to include students with disabilities in the general physical education classroom. Participants included 66 seventh grade students, including four students with intellectual and behavioral disabilities, participating in a flag football Sport Education season. Data collection methods comprised formal and informal interviews, focus group interviews, field notes, observations with field notes, critical incident reports and self-reflective journals for teachers. In addition, all lessons were videotaped. Through a Contact Theory framework, the results for students without disabilities showed Sport Education provided enjoyable participation among students, gave students learning ownership, and provided positive experiences with students with disabilities. Five sub-themes aided understanding these students' experiences: a sense of inclusion, perceptions of equality, a climate of assisting others, modifications to the activities, and a greater understanding of students with disabilities. Findings indicated students with disabilities felt they were socially accepted, participated in a student-centered learning environment, had assistance in learning, and perceived responsibilities and participation. Sport Education allowed students with disabilities to take ownership in learning alongside their peers by working in small groups, getting to know other students, and participating in physical education more meaningfully. The Theory of Planned Behavior was used to explore the three physical education teachers' perceptions of using the Sport Education curriculum model to include students with disabilities. Findings indicated that this inclusion is more likely when teachers have positive attitudes toward inclusion. Recognizing a significant amount of a priori planning occurs, teachers also perceived successful inclusion of students with disabilities happens when it promotes a sense of belonging among all students and allows students with disabilities to fulfill meaningful responsibilities during the course of Sport Education.
Influence of negotiations on preservice teachers' instruction within multi-activity and sport education units
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Wahl-Alexander, Zachary; Curtner-Smith, Matthew; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Previous research has indicated that sport education (SE) has structural advantages over traditional multi-activity (MA) teaching which may help preservice teachers (PTs) learning to teach. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of negotiations between pupils and PTs on PTs' instruction within MA teaching and SE. Participants were 17 PTs engaged in a secondary early field experience in which they taught 12-lesson MA and SE soccer units. Data were collected using six qualitative techniques and analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. Pupils initiated negotiations aimed at securing changes in instructional tasks and a reduction in standards of performance for those tasks. PTs initiated negotiations aimed at securing compliance with instructional and managerial tasks. During MA instruction, negotiations were relatively negative and common, increased as the unit progressed, and adversely influenced the effectiveness of the majority of PTs' pedagogies. During SE instruction, negotiations were relatively positive and infrequent, declined as the season progressed, and enabled PTs to deliver comparatively good quality physical education.
Perspectives of physical education from teachers, staff and students in a juvenile justice setting
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Jones, Sally G.; Sinelnikov, Oleg A.; Curtner-Smith, Matthew; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
There is a dearth of research on physical education in the juvenile justice system. This dissertation, comprised of three studies, examines that domain in the context of the SOAR program. The first study retrospectively used a teaching journal to examine the lived experience of teaching physical education in an all girls' juvenile detention center. The use of autoethnography guided this descriptive study through the lived experiences of the physical educator. The data indicated that physical education was often met with roadblocks and detours to implementing developmentally physical education practices. However, many breakthroughs occurred because of the number of bridges built and crossed for meaningful success in physical education. The information provided by the first study affords insight to the succeeding two studies. Drawing on research from Carlson (1995) and Dyson (1995) on student voice, the second study examined student conceptions of physical education in traditional schools, detention centers, and in their current program. Through interviews, students described their physical education within the three settings and were able to discern the discourse between learning institutions. Additionally, through their description of physical education within SOAR, students disclosed ways in which physical education has been beneficial in their rehabilitation process. Working through the difficulties as a physical educator in youth detention and listening to student voices on their conceptions of physical education led to the examination of staff and administration conceptions of physical education. Occupational socialization was the framework used to analyze conceptions of those working in the SOAR program. Understanding staff and administrator's personal experiences in physical education and how those experiences influenced their perceptions of physical education provided insight to how their socialization shaped their negotiation of physical education through their role in the workplace. While many agreed that physical education was important in these types of institutions their understanding of value was misplaced.

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