Physical Education Curriculum Priorities: Evidence for Education and Skillfulness

One question facing kinesiologists today is how to implement findings from research into society, in this case, physical education. In this paper I examine the role of a balanced approach to educational physical education in promoting physical activity. I argue that limiting physical education to simple tasks that encourage students to workout at target heart rate to expend calories is not an effective solution to the long-term challenge of promoting physically active lifestyles. As an alternative, I discuss research findings associated with motor skill competence, perceived competence, and knowledge growth that can increase individuals' options to participate in many different types of physical activity at greater intensities and for longer durations. I conclude by considering the role of educational physical education in public health initiatives with the goal of influencing students' decisions to embrace physical activity for a lifetime.