The Pedagogical Sciences Research Lab provides a platform to explore these mechanisms in a variety of physical education and physical activity settings from both an instructor and learner perspective. Our faculty have specialized expertise in fields of physical education teacher education, physical activity leader training, physical/cognitive/affective didactic learning and development, and teacher/student motivation. Graduate assistants in the Pedagogical Sciences Research Lab work on and lead projects to answer innovative research questions within these fields. The lab includes UW PETE faculty and graduate students (Masters and Doctoral)
Research Foci
- Physical Education Teachers’ Instructional Practices (Models-based instruction)
- Physical Education Teacher Professional Development (Teacher change/adoption of critical practices)
- Physical Education Teacher/Student Motivation (Affective outcomes/connections to practices, content, and learning)
Current Projects
The Pedagogy Lab is currently conducting several ongoing research initiatives, each with several subprojects.
PETE Pre-Service/Inservice Psychosocial Development: This initiative includes a series of projects exploring the developmental stages and instructional supports for developing highly motivated future PE teachers through course work and field experiences developing the psychosocial skills to navigate the profession and the realities of school environments.
- Dr. Kelly Simonton leads this work along with several national and international collaborators, and in collaboration of the newly formed Innovations in Nurturing Sustainable Physical Education through Inquiry, Research, and Engagement (INSPIRE) Research Center.
WYO PE Fitness Education and Testing Integration: In an effort to support new Wyoming Department of Education policy enactment, the UW Pedagogy Research Lab is working to create innovative, sustainable, and improved instructional training on fitness education and testing integration for all Wyoming PE teachers. The intention of this support is both service and research based, with hopes to improve positive outcomes for Wyoming youth in terms of their fitness knowledge, perceptions, and skills that facilitate more lifelong health.
- Drs. Kelly Simonton, Tristan Wallhead, Dr. Jenna Starck, and Mrs. Angela Simonton lead this work along with current graduate students.
- The professional development support is in collaboration with the Wyoming Department of Education, Wyoming Department of Health, and the Wyoming Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (WAHPERD; the state Health and Physical Education Teachers Association; WAHPERD).
Outride Biking: This project funded through the Outride (Specialized Biking) Foundation examines the impact of mountain biking in PE using the Riding for Focus (R4F) curriculum on middle schools’ motivation and participation in physical education and extracurricular biking opportunities.
- Dr. Tristan Wallhead acts as the lead investigator for this project.
- Wyoming Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy (WPEPAP) statewide policy surveillance.
- Investigating principals’ perceived barriers and needed resources for increasing physical education class time in elementary schools.
Healthy Pokes: This multi-component initiative focuses on a comprehensive approach to engaging Wyoming residents in health enhancing physical activity behaviors. The mission of the program is to spearhead programs in four key branches including: (a) Physical education students, (b) Physical education teachers, (c) Before/after school programming, (d) Youth and community programming. Our lab serves a variety of roles in these branch programs including the development, delivery, research and/or evaluation of each of the individual programs.
- After-school Programming: Investigate the mental, personal, social, and physical outcomes of district wide
after-school program targeting positive social interactions in elementary students
(Cheyenne, WY).
- (Sponsored by the Wyoming Department of Education; ESSER Funds). Dr. Kelly Simonton acts as the lead investigator for this project.
- (Anticipated) Youth Sport: Exploring social-emotional responses to youth sport, also known as sport-based youth
development. In partnership with Laramie County School District #1 Cheyenne, WY).
- Drs. Kelly Simonton and Jenna Starck lead this collaboration.
PE-307: This initiative is advocacy driven and targets both understanding the needs of Wyoming public school physical education programs and utilizing data to inform and influence policy. All UW Faculty and Graduate students co-lead on separate projects/updates using the PE-307 network (Facebook) - (Instagram)
Faculty
- Professor Tristan Wallhead (wallhead@uwyo.edu)
- Kelly Simonton (kelly.simonton@uwyo.edu)
- Jenna Starck (jstarck3@uwyo.edu)
Current Graduate Assistants
- Megan Lee (PhD)
- James Paterson (PhD)
- Aoba Matsunaga (PhD)
- Lizzie Uhler (M.S.)
- Jenica Dees (M.S.)
- Devon King (M.S.)
- Bettie Jin (M.S.)
Former Graduate Assistants
- Laci Sligar
- Kayla Marsh
- Katie Juarez
- Aimee Gray
- Celina Espinoza
- Laura Palmer
- Maddie Carson
- Nolan Carey
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.