DIVISION OF KINESIOLOGY AND HEALTH

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

---

Mission, Goals, and Outcomes

 

VISION

 

MISSION 

Promote an environment of excellence and achievement in kinesiology and health across the lifespan, with emphasis on the physical activity and health needs of Wyoming and rural residents.  

 

We are committed to innovative, contemporary, and nationally/internationally recognized research and teaching that equips our graduates to positively impact individual and community health, lead in a constantly changing global society, and participate in a democratic society that supports diversity of cultural values and practices.

 

DIVISION GOALS

 

1. To deliver a quality undergraduate education;
2. A quality graduate education program that is accessible to student on- and off-campus;
3. To contribute to the University wide research agenda; and
4. To contribute to service both on- and off-campus.

 

GOALS AND OUTCOMES

The Division of Kinesiology and Health offers two undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health: Kinesiology and HealthPromotion (K&HP) and Physical Education Teacher Education (PHET). Both are four-year 120 credit hour degree programs.

 

 

1.   Critical Thinking

• Students will develop critical-thinking skills necessary to understand, analyze, and produce knowledge specific to kinesiology and health.

 

Outcomes – The Student will:

• Critically evaluate forms of information related to kinesiology, health, and/or physical education.
• Develop research questions related to issues in kinesiology, health, and/or physical education.

 

2.   Information Literacy
Students will develop information literacy skills and abilities essential for adult learning.

 

Outcomes – The Student will:

• Access information using a variety of information literacy skills.
• Complete the library information tutorial exam (TIP) with a minimum score of 70.

 

Outcomes – The Student will:

• Understand how the organic, skeletal, and neuromuscular structures of the human body adapt and contribute to motor performance, fitness, and wellness.
• Define and contrast physical fitness, physical activity, exercise, and health.

 

B.   KINESIOLOGY AND HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM (K&HP)

GOALS

 

 

Outcomes – The kinesiology and health promotion major will:

• Identify biomechanical, health, physiological, and psychological limitations to and interventions for improving physical performance.
• Identify and explain the mechanisms underlying biomechanical, physiological, and psychological changes that occur during after acute and chronic exercise.
• Develop physical conditioning programs based on scientific principles designed to develop physical fitness and improve athletic performance.
• Understand how mechanical principles can be applied to the analysis of human movement to assess and improve performance and reduce risk of injury.

 

 

Outcomes – The kinesiology and health promotion major will:

• Identify and describe psychological, biological, biomechanical, and behavioral factors that can influence health-related adaptations to exercise.
• Ability to identify and explain the disease-specific benefits and risks of physical fitness and physical activity for coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, cancer, and immune system, anxiety and depression.
• Ability to develop an individualized exercise prescription based on scientific principles and appropriate evaluation techniques designed to reduce the risk of chronic disease and avoid injuries.
• Ability to identify risks of and safe approaches to exercise and physical activity.
• Ability to identify the major personal, environmental, and activity characteristics that determine the adoption and maintenance of participation in supervised and population-based physical activity and exercise programs.

 

 

Outcomes – The kinesiology and health promotion major will:

• Describe and understand the process by which physiological, psychological, biomechanical, and physical- and health-related tests are validated.
• Ability to apply scientific principles to evaluate the effectiveness of physical activity and conditioning programs designed to improve health-related fitness or sport performance.
• Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of human movement using mechanical principles.
• Ability to distinguish between correlational and causal relationships.

 

 

GOALS

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Identify critical elements of motor skill performance and combine motor skills into appropriate sequences for the purpose of improving skill learning.
• Demonstrate competent motor skill performance in a variety of physical activities.
• Describe performance concepts and strategies related to skillful movement and physical activity (e.g., fitness principles, game tactics, and skill improvement principles).
• Describe and apply bioscience concepts (anatomical, physiological, and biomechanical) and psychological concepts to skillful movement, physical activity, and fitness.
• Understand and debate current physical activity issues and laws based on historical, philosophical, and sociological perspectives.
• Demonstrate knowledge of approved local, state, and national content standards, and local program goals.

 

 

• Monitor individual and group performance in order to design safe instruction that meets learner developmental needs in the physical, cognitive, and social/emotional domains.
• Identify, select, and implement appropriate learning/practice opportunities based  on expected progressions and levels of readiness.
• Identify, select, and implement appropriate learning/practice opportunities based on understanding the student, the learning environment, and the task.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Identify, select, and implement appropriate instruction that is sensitive to students’ strengths/weaknesses, multiple needs, learning styles, and/or prior experiences (e.g., cultural, personal, family, community).
• Use appropriate strategies, services, and resources to meet diverse learning needs.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Use managerial routines that create smoothly functioning learning experiences.
• Organize, allocate, and manage resources (e.g., learners, time, space, equipment, activities, and teacher attention) to provide active and equitable learning  experiences.
• Use a variety of developmentally appropriate practices (e.g., content selection, instructional formats, use of music, appropriate incentives and rewards) to motivate learners to participate in physical activity inside and outside of the school.
• Use strategies to help learners demonstrate responsible personal and social behaviors (e.g., mutual respect, support for others, safety, and cooperation) that promote positive relationships and a productive learning environment.
• Develop an effective behavior management plan.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Describe and demonstrate effective communication skills (e.g., use of language, clarity, conciseness, pacing, giving and receiving feedback, age appropriate language, and nonverbal communication).
• Communicate managerial and instructional information in a variety of ways (e.g., bulletin boards, music, task cards, posters, Internet, and video).
• Communicate in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to all learners (e.g., considerate of ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, ability, and gender differences).
• Describe and implement strategies to enhance communication among learners in physical activity settings.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Identify, develop, and implement appropriate program and instructional goals.
• Develop short- and long-term plans that are linked to both program and instructional goals and student needs.
• Select and implement instructional strategies, based on selected content, learner needs, and safety issues, to facilitate learning in the physical activity setting.
• Design and implement learning experiences that are safe, appropriate, relevant, and based on principles of effective instruction.
• Apply disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge in developing and implementing learning environments and experiences.
• Provide learning experiences that allow students to integrate knowledge and skills from multiple subject areas.
• Select and implement appropriate (i.e., comprehensive, accurate, useful, and safe) teaching resources and curriculum materials.
• Use effective demonstrations and explanations to link physical activity concepts to appropriate learning experiences.
• Develop and use appropriate instructional cues and prompts to facilitate competent motor skill performance.
• Develop a repertoire of direct and indirect instructional formats to facilitate  student learning (e.g., ask questions, pose scenarios, promote problem solving and critical thinking, and facilitate factual recall).

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Identify key components of various types of assessment, describe their appropriate and inappropriate use, and address issues of validity, reliability, and bias.
• Use a variety of appropriate authentic and traditional assessment techniques to assess learner understanding and performance, provide feedback, and   communicate learner progress (i.e., for both formative and summative purposes).
• Involve learners in self- and peer-assessment.
• Use and interpret learning and performance data to inform curricular and instructional decisions.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Use a reflective cycle involving description of teaching, justification of teaching performance, critique of the teaching performance, the setting of teaching goals, and implementation of change.
• Use available resources (e.g., colleagues, literature, professional associations) to develop as a reflective professional.
• Construct a plan for continued professional growth based on the assessment of personal teaching performance.

 

 

Outcomes – the teacher candidate will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of current technologies and their application in physical education.
• Design, develop, and implement student-learning activities that integrate information technology.
• Use technologies to communicate, network, locate resources, and enhance continuing professional development.

 

 

Outcomes – The teacher candidate will:

• Identify strategies to become an advocate in the school and community to promote a variety of physical activity opportunities.
• Actively participate in the professional physical education community (e.g., local, state, district, and national) and within the broader education field.
• Identify and seek community resources to enhance physical activity opportunities.
• Establish productive relationships with parents/guardians and school colleagues to support learner growth and well-being.