Study Guide
Overview and Test Objectives
Field 044: Physical Education
Test Overview
| Format | Computer-based test (CBT) |
|---|---|
| Number of Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions |
| Time | 2 hours 30 minutes* |
| Passing Score | 220 |
*Does not include 15-minute CBT tutorial
Test Objectives
| Subarea | Range of Objectives | Approximate Percentage of Questions on Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health | 001–005 | 17% |
| 2 | Movement and Lifelong Physical Activities | 006–013 | 27% |
| 3 | Growth, Development, and Learning | 014–017 | 14% |
| 4 | Planning, Instruction, and Assessment | 018–021 | 14% |
| 5 | Management, Motivation, and Communication | 022–025 | 14% |
| 6 | Foundations, Reflection, and Professional Collaboration | 026–029 | 14% |
Hover over each subarea for details of subtest content or see table above.
Sub area 1 17%, Sub area 2 27%, Sub area 3 14%, Sub area 4 14%, Sub area 5 14%, and Sub area 6 14%.
Subarea 1—PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, FITNESS, AND HEALTH
Objective 001—Demonstrate knowledge of concepts related to physical activity and fitness.
Includes:
- relationships among physical activity, fitness, and health
- the effects of physical activity and inactivity
- basic principles of fitness development
- developmentally appropriate fitness goals
- energy systems used during exercise
- the importance of physical activity and fitness to the health and well-being of individuals
- the effects of lifestyle choices on health-related fitness
Objective 002—Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and maintaining a healthy level of cardiorespiratory endurance.
Includes:
- basic principles of aerobic conditioning
- skills, activities, and equipment appropriate for promoting cardiorespiratory endurance
- appropriate warm-up and cool-down exercises
- techniques for assessing cardiorespiratory endurance
Objective 003—Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and maintaining a healthy level of muscular strength and endurance.
Includes:
- basic principles of strength and endurance training
- skills, activities, and equipment appropriate for promoting muscular strength and endurance
- appropriate warm-up and cool-down exercises
- techniques for assessing muscular strength and endurance
Objective 004—Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and maintaining a healthy level of flexibility.
Includes:
- basic principles of developing flexibility
- skills and activities appropriate for promoting the flexibility of selected joints of the body
- appropriate warm-up and cool-down exercises
- safety considerations for static and dynamic stretching
- techniques for assessing flexibility
Objective 005—Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and maintaining a healthy level of body composition.
Includes:
- basic principles and concepts related to body composition
- the relationship between body composition and health
- the effects of exercise and training on body composition
- the influence of heredity on body composition
- techniques for assessing body composition
Subarea 2—MOVEMENT AND LIFELONG PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
Objective 006—Apply principles of biomechanics to movement activities.
Includes:
- principles related to motion, stability and balance, force production and absorption, buoyancy, rotation, speed, acceleration, and other biomechanical concepts
- the application of these principles to various movement activities
Objective 007—Demonstrate knowledge of basic principles related to fundamental motor skills.
Includes:
- concepts of body awareness, time, space, direction, force of movement, and rhythm
- techniques for assessing fundamental motor skills individually and in combination
Objective 008—Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing locomotor skills.
Includes:
- types and characteristics of locomotor skills
- activities for promoting these skills that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing these skills
Objective 009—Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing object control skills.
Includes:
- types and characteristics of object control skills
- activities for promoting these skills that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing these skills
Objective 010—Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing postural nonlocomotor skills.
Includes:
- types and characteristics of postural nonlocomotor skills
- activities for promoting these skills that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing these skills
Objective 011—Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing rhythmic skills.
Includes:
- techniques and activities involving creative movement sequences and rhythm
- techniques, sequences, and skills for various forms of dance
- activities that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing these skills
Objective 012—Apply knowledge of skills, rules, and safety practices for individual, dual, and team sports.
Includes:
- techniques, skill progressions, rules, safety practices, and types of equipment for individual, dual, and team sports
- activities that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing skills in these areas
Objective 013—Apply knowledge of skills, rules, and safety practices for recreational activities and outdoor pursuits.
Includes:
- techniques, skill progressions, rules, safety practices, and types of equipment for recreational activities and outdoor pursuits
- activities that are appropriate for various developmental levels
- techniques for assessing skills in these areas
Subarea 3—GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, AND LEARNING
Objective 014—Demonstrate knowledge of the organic structures of the human body.
Includes:
- the basic structures, organization, and functions of the body's systems (e.g., circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal, nervous)
- how these systems adapt to physical activity
- how these systems contribute to motor performance and fitness
- how these systems are interrelated and interdependent
Objective 015—Demonstrate knowledge of physical growth and development.
Includes:
- stages and characteristics of physical growth and development between infancy and adulthood
- individual variations in growth and development
- characteristics of motor and perceptual motor development
- factors that influence growth and development (e.g., heredity, nutrition, environment)
- the relationship between students' growth and development and their learning
- the ways physical activity or inactivity influence growth and development
Objective 016—Demonstrate knowledge of how individuals grow and develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally.
Includes:
- characteristics of cognitive, psychosocial, and emotional development during childhood, preadolescence, adolescence, and adulthood
- the ways physical activity and inactivity influence growth and development in these areas
- the influence of expectations related to gender, body image, skill level, and culture on the development of self-concept
- the influence of peers on students' social attitudes and behaviors
Objective 017—Demonstrate knowledge of how students differ in their approaches to learning in a physical education setting.
Includes:
- the characteristics of different learning styles (e.g., visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and multiple intelligences (e.g., linguistic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal)
- basic elements of various learning theories (e.g., social learning theory, health belief model, transtheoretical model)
- ways these theories are applied in a physical education setting
- ways learning in physical education is influenced by various factors (e.g., special/diverse needs, personal experiences and circumstances, culture, health)
Subarea 4—PLANNING, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT
Objective 018—Demonstrate knowledge of instructional design and planning for physical education.
Includes:
- techniques for planning physical education lessons to achieve program goals and objectives
- knowledge of selected types of curricula and curricular models (e.g., sport education model, physical fitness model, movement education model)
- design of instructional sequences and learning experiences that maximize learner participation and success
- principles of effective instruction (e.g., giving clear explanations, conducting demonstrations, providing feedback)
- the importance of assessing lesson plans and revising them based on student needs and changing circumstances
- the uses of a variety of equipment and resources (e.g., computers, videotapes, local experts) to enhance learning in a physical education setting
Objective 019—Apply developmentally appropriate instructional strategies in a physical education setting.
Includes:
- techniques for implementing instructional strategies in a physical education setting based on developmental levels, learning styles, available resources, and safety issues
- techniques for promoting students' problem-solving and critical-thinking strategies
- techniques, advantages, and limitations of various instructional strategies (e.g., cooperative learning, direct instruction, interdisciplinary instruction)
- roles the teacher can assume to facilitate learning (e.g., model, assessor, monitor)
- methods for modifying physical education activities to accommodate students with disabilities
- strategies for working with students for whom English is not their primary language
- instructional strategies that are sensitive to students' personal, family, cultural, and community experiences
Objective 020—Demonstrate knowledge of safety concerns and procedures related to physical education programs.
Includes:
- the principles of instructional organization and management that promote student safety
- methods for conducting environmental checks of equipment, field, and movement space
- exercises and body positions that are indicated and those that are contraindicated in physical education activities
- principles and techniques of basic first aid and CPR
Objective 021—Demonstrate knowledge of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of learners in a physical education setting.
Includes:
- the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of different types of assessment (e.g., motor performance and physical fitness, portfolio and authentic assessments)
- rationales for selecting and using developmentally appropriate assessment strategies and instruments
- measurement issues (e.g., validity, reliability, bias)
- the use of assessment as an integral part of physical education instruction to provide feedback to learners
- strategies for involving students in self-assessment
- interpretation and use of performance data to make instructional decisions and report progress
Subarea 5—MANAGEMENT, MOTIVATION, AND COMMUNICATION
Objective 022—Demonstrate knowledge of principles and methods of instructional management in a physical education setting.
Includes:
- the importance of and strategies for establishing a positive climate that promotes mutual respect, support, safety, and cooperative participation in the physical education setting
- methods for organizing, allocating, and managing resources (e.g., time, space, equipment, activities, teacher attention)
- management techniques that create a smoothly functioning learning environment and maximize learner participation in physical education activities
Objective 023—Demonstrate knowledge of factors related to individual and group motivation in a physical education setting.
Includes:
- factors related to intrinsic motivation
- methods for motivating learners to participate in developmentally appropriate physical activities inside and outside of school
- strategies for positive behavior change
- the use of appropriate motivational strategies to meet the needs of individuals
- strategies to help learners become self-motivated
Objective 024—Demonstrate knowledge of positive personal and social traits that can be fostered within the context of physical activity.
Includes:
- the contribution and value of physical activity to lifelong health and well-being
- the potential social-cultural benefits of participation in physical activities
- ways positive traits (e.g., confidence, self-discipline, cooperation) can be promoted through involvement in physical activities
- strategies that help learners acquire responsible personal and social behaviors
Objective 025—Demonstrate knowledge of effective communication techniques to foster inquiry, collaboration, and engagement in physical activity.
Includes:
- characteristics and uses of various communication techniques (e.g., verbal, visual, kinesthetic)
- the appropriate use of verbal and nonverbal cues
- how personal differences (e.g., cultural, economic, environmental) affect communication
- ways to foster sensitive interactions with and among learners
- strategies for communicating managerial and instructional information in a variety of ways (e.g., bulletin boards, task cards, music, computers and other technologies)
Subarea 6—FOUNDATIONS, REFLECTION, AND PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION
Objective 026—Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of physical education.
Includes:
- the historical development of and cultural contributions to physical education
- philosophies and contributions of innovators in the field
- various games, sports, and physical activities that have become popular at different times
- goals and objectives of physical education
- current philosophies, trends, and practices in physical education programs
Objective 027—Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of physical education and fitness to students.
Includes:
- the importance of developing physically educated individuals
- the relationships between physical education content and the content of other subject matter areas
- strategies for promoting lifelong fitness
- ways physical activity can foster self-expression and provide enjoyment and challenge
- the contribution of physical education instruction to students' development of competence and self-confidence
- the use of physical education to promote students' cooperative skills
Objective 028—Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of physical education teachers in the learning community.
Includes:
- ways to advocate for physical education in the school and community
- strategies for communicating and working with parents/guardians and the community (e.g., PTA, advisory committees) to promote physical education programs and goals
- laws related to the rights and safety of the learner and the responsibilities of the teacher (e.g., equity, inclusion, confidentiality, privacy, duty to protect, responsibility to warn)
- appropriate ways to consult with counselors and other professionals to assist students
Objective 029—Demonstrate knowledge of methods for developing professional relationships and reflecting on teaching practices.
Includes:
- strategies for collaborating with school colleagues
- the importance and use of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies to reflect on physical education teaching practices
- the characteristics and functions of professional literature and other resources available for professional development (e.g., journals, professional associations, workshops) in physical education