Tenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Obesity and the comorbidities related to metabolic syndrome continue to increase despite mainstream recommendations for health and physical fitness. Schools may help mitigate the prevalent and rising levels of body weight and metabolic diseases. The K-12 classrooms represent a medium that can foster health, food, and physical literacies. Thus, the challenge for educators is to initiate and facilitate life-long physical activity in students. To meet this objective, teachers must not solely focus on student acquisition of content knowledge, but also develop the physical skills and positive attitudes needed in students to be physically active. This study surveyed: pre-service teachers’ perception of physical fitness and exercise; pre-service teachers’ participation in physical activities; pre-service teachers’ behaviors related to physical activities, lifestyle, and health; and, pre-service teachers’ perception of their qualifications to teach physical literacy. The implications of this study may be used to modify the curriculum and instruction in education, science, health, and physical education courses that pre-service teachers are required to enroll in as part of their degree plan or teacher certification program. Moreover, the findings from this study may be considered at a larger scale by including specific coursework that advances physical activity knowledge, skills, and affect in teacher education programs.