Distinguished Lecture Series at the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Lecture

Established in 2006, the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Lecture provides for in-depth coverage of a research topic and an opportunity to give formal peer recognition to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the research represented in the sections of the RQES.

RQES Lecture: Scientific Support for Required Physical Activity Education Among College and University Students

The National Physical Activity Plan recommends strategies and tactics that, if implemented at scale, would improve the nation’s health and wellbeing. The strategies and tactics span nine societal sectors, one of which is Education. Within Education, Strategy 5 states, “Colleges and universities should provide students and employees with opportunities and incentives to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles.” There are six tactics recommended for this strategy, the first of which is: “Provide physical activity opportunities through courses that contribute to graduation requirements for undergraduate students.” Contrary to this tactic, there is evidence that physical activity education graduation requirements have diminished in recent years on college and university campuses. In an effort to curtail and reverse this situation, the scientific evidence supporting the short- and long-term benefits of these courses will be reviewed and recommendations for future research will be advanced. Moreover, the accumulated evidence can serve as the basis for a policy and/or advocacy document on college and university campuses that are undergoing review, thwarting off challenges, or proactively trying to implement (i.e., add) a requirement.

The RQES Lecture is sponsored by Taylor & Francis Group.

Bradley J. Cardinal, Ph.D., Professor, Kinesiology Program, Oregon State University; President, National Academy of Kinesiology

Dr. Bradley J. Cardinal, the President of the National Academy of Kinesiology, is a Full Professor in the Kinesiology Program at Oregon State University where he has served since 1997 and where, in 2009, he was recognized as the university’s Elizabeth P. Ritchie Distinguished Professor, and, in 2017, as the Oregon State University Alumni Association Distinguished Professor. At Oregon State Professor Cardinal directs the graduate program in Sport and Exercise Psychology, which was ranked #9 in the nation in 2016, and he holds an Affiliate appointment in the School of Psychological Science. His international experience includes serving as a Faculty Scholar In-Residence at Hong Kong Baptist University and a Visiting Professor In-Residence at Kasetsart University (Thailand). Prior to his appointment at Oregon State, Professor Cardinal served on the faculties of Wayne State University (Detroit, MI) and Eastern Washington University (Cheney, WA). A conscientious servant-leader, he has been elected or appointed to many different roles including, among others, President of AAHPERD’s Research Consortium; Chair of the Editorial Board of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport; Co-Chair of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; and Associate Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Health Promotion. His scholarly work focuses on physical activity education across the lifespan — i.e., changing people in changing contexts — in an attempt to understand why people do or do not engage in physical activity and other positive health-related behaviors. This has been accomplished by studying individual through societal level factors, as well as research aimed at narrowing the gap between research, practice, and policy. The guiding principles motivating his work are: (1) physical activity is a basic need of the human organism; (2) participation in physical activity is a fundamental human right; and (3) effective, positive, and safe physical activity opportunities must be available for all people, regardless of life stage or social circumstance. During his career, he has been entrusted and privileged to work with diverse audiences, including cross-cultural, international, and collaborative studies with scholars from China, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Iran, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. His work has been cited in many research and government reports, including the landmark 1996 Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health and the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), as well as widely featured in the popular media. Professor Cardinal is also keenly interested in serving as a steward of the discipline, particularly inspiring and mentoring future generations of leaders, professionals, and scholars in the field. Toward that end, he has been honored to host and sponsor visiting scholars, and to mentor students at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degree levels. His commitment to living an active, healthy lifestyle has been featured in national (e.g., SHAPE America’s Momentum; WebMD) and regional outlets (e.g., The Oregonian), as well as through his participation in events such as “Bike for Mom” (Thailand) – a Guinness World Records setting event.

SHAPE America Scholar

The SHAPE America Scholar Award is presented in recognition of research/creative activities which enrich the depth and scope of health, leisure, sport, dance and related activities.

Challenging Assumptions and Evidence-Based Practice in Physical Activity

Physical Educators and coaches must make thousands of movement prescription decisions every week. These prescriptions of specific movement techniques, intensity, and dosage of activity should be based as much on the consensus of scientific evidence as on previous experience or past practice. This presentation will summarize how some common assumptions on the beneficial effects of physical activity have led to recommendations that have been ineffective or even dangerous. Assuming the effectiveness of greater dosages and technique, manufacturer’s instructions, and past practice could be unethical or even dangerous professional practice. Examples of applying biomechanics research for evidence-based practice in physical education and coaching will be illustrated.

Duane Knudson, Texas State University

Duane Knudson earned his Ph.D. in biomechanics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently Professor of biomechanics in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Texas State University.

He has authored over 106 peer-reviewed articles in influential biomechanics and kinesiology journals. His research areas are in the biomechanics of tennis, stretching, qualitative movement diagnosis, learning biomechanical concepts, as well as influence and citation metrics of kinesiology research. Dr. Knudson has also authored three books, 21 chapters, 32 peer-reviewed articles in scientific proceedings, and received over 20 internal and external grants/contracts. His scholarship has been cited over 3800 times for an h-index of 30 and five citation classics in Google Scholar. He has been elected fellow of three scholarly societies. Dr. Knudson has received numerous awards including a Life Member Award from ISBS, the Jerry R. Thomas Distinguished Leadership Award from AKA, the Ruth B. Glassow Honor award from NASPE, the Dudley Allen Sargent Award from NAKHE, and scholar awards from SHAPE America Southern District, Southeast ACSM, and TAHPERD.

He has been invited to speak at numerous national and international conferences, as well as served numerous journals, the Institute of Medicine, and the Department of Education. He has authored over two dozen articles for professionals and athletes in sport magazines and websites. His research has been featured in the New York Times and in a documentary film.

Raymond A Weiss Lecture

The purpose of the Raymond A. Weiss Lecture is to support a scholarly presentation by an individual in the arts and sciences who is an outstanding leader and who has made an important contribution to his or her field, and who has ties to one or more of the fields of HPERD.

The Politics of Physical Education, Activity & Sport

The recent political climate in the United States has revealed deep ideological, philosophical and cultural divides. It can be argued that aside from the partisan divide, the rhetoric and actions of individuals and groups have had a substantial impact on all aspects of society including physical education, physical activity and sport. In particular, the cultural shift toward nationalism has exacerbated the negative impact on historically marginalized groups in terms of physical activity, health, and educational issues. This Lecture will attempt to explore the impact of our present political climate on the activities near and dear to SHAPE America.

Louis Harrison, University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Harrison has focused his academic research on the influences of race and African American racial identity on sport and physical activity choices and performance. Through his research he hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the racial labels ascribed to particular sports and physical activities, and how these labels influence participation, persistence, effort expended, and performance.

Dr. Harrison is a graduate of the University of New Orleans and Louisiana State University. He presently holds the Charles H. Spence, Sr. Centennial Professorship in Education in the department of Curriculum & Instruction at the University. Prior to coming to the University of Texas, he was on the faculty of the department of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University.

At the University of Texas Dr. Harrison is also a member of the African American Male Research Initiative (AAMRI) and co-founder of the Black Male Education Research Collection (BMERC.org). His research articles appear in scholarly journals such as International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Urban Education, Kinesiology Review, Quest, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, the Journal of Black Psychology, and Race Ethnicity & Education. He is also co-author of the book, Real Role Models: Successful African Americans Beyond Pop Culture. Dr. Harrison has served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, Research Quarterly of Exercise and Sport and Quest.

In 2005, Dr. Harrison was awarded the Louisiana Health and Physical Education Recreation and Dance Scholar Award and in 2007 he received the Southern District American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Scholar Award. He was awarded the E.B. Henderson Award in 2009, the Charles D. Henry Award in 2011, and the Scholar Award in 2017 from in the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), where he is also a Research Fellow. He is also an Active Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology and the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport. In addition to his academic duties, Dr. Harrison serves as the pastor of the Pleasant Bethany Baptist Church in Elgin, Texas.

C. H. McCloy Research Lecture and Breakfast

The C. H. McCloy Memorial Lecture provides for in-depth coverage of a research topic and an opportunity to give formal peer recognition to persons who have made outstanding contributions to HPERD through their research efforts. The lecture also provides a form of continuing recognition for Charles H. McCloy, one of the great pioneer scientists and leaders of the profession. The C. H. McCloy Research Lecture was inaugurated at the 1980 National Convention and Exposition.

Global Challenges for Physical Education Teacher Educators in the Modern University

Numerous challenges to university-based teacher education exist globally. In Ireland, recent legislative powers of the Irish Teaching Council resulted in the dilution of higher education institutions to determine both the content and delivery of their programs and in the USA a number of private philanthropic agencies have sought to establish greater control for teacher preparation (e.g., Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship Schemes). How are physical education teacher educators responding to this shift from university-controlled and university-based teacher education to externally controlled and school-based preparation of teachers?

The purpose this lecture will be to shed light on the “hidden profession” of Physical Education Teacher Educators (PETEs) and to share a global perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by PETE academic. In addition to a review of recent literature I will share data from a comparative international study of Physical Education teacher educators on the status of physical education teacher education globally. As part of the presentation I will address some of the structural issues of teacher education (accreditation, levels of control, relationships with stakeholders) across diverse educational systems and how PE teacher educators manage these challenges and opportunities in the modern university.

The RQES Lecture is sponsored by Taylor & Francis Group.

Mary O’Sullivan, University of Limerick, Ireland

Mary O’Sullivan was born and educated in Ireland (UG) and began her teaching career as a secondary teacher of Physical Education, Geography, and history is West Cork, Ireland. She later moved to Canada (University of Victoria, BC) to complete her master’s degree in Physical Education/ Curriculum and Instruction. While doing her thesis (descriptive study of student teachers’ use of time in the classroom) she met Daryl Siedentop who offered her a teaching assistant post and the opportunity to complete her PHD at Ohio State University.

Mary completed her PHD under the supervision of Daryl Siedentop at The Ohio State University in the early 1980s. She began her academic career as Assistant Professor at the University of Victoria in Canada before returning as Assistant Professor to Ohio State in 1986 where she worked until December 2014. Mary rose through the academic ranks to Professor and took on the role as Associate Dean of College of Education at The Ohio State University until she left to return home to Ireland.

Following her appointment in 2005 as Professor of Physical Education and Youth Sport at the University of Limerick in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences (PESS), Mary accepted the new role as Inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences at UL from January 2008 until August 2014. She then returned to her role as Professor in PESS Dept. teaching and supervising both undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in sport pedagogy until her recent retirement. She also acted as the Strategic Advisor to the President of UL on Institutional Governance and served as the Research Integrity Officer.

Mary formally retired from her professorial post in November 2017 but still works part time at the University of Limerick as the Research Integrity Officer.

Mary is a teacher educator and has been an advocate for and researcher of teaching and teacher education during her professional career. She was Secretary General for AIESEP (International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education) for 4 years and member of the board for 20 years until her retirement from the board in July of last year. She has helped to over the growth of that association as the foremost international association in support of research on sport pedagogy including research and policy statements on teacher education, and teachers’ professional development. Mary is a proud member of the Research Consortium and a Fellow of National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK). In Ireland, she founded the Research Centre for Physical Education, Physical Activity and Youth Sport (known as PEPAYS Ireland). It brings teachers and teacher educators together building advocacy and research capacity in support of quality physical education curriculum and sporting opportunities for all young people. Its annual reform attracts interest nationally and internationally in support of Physical Education teachers. She chaired the Physical Education Development Group of the (Irish) National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) where we have overseen some of the most internationally innovative changes to Secondary Physically Education Curriculum. Physical Education is now a Leaving Certificate Subject (similar to Grade 12) on an equal par with all other subjects. It has innovative assessments as performer, choreographer or coach, using digital storyboards to show student learning and students’ reflections on learning.

Mary’s research has focused on Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, Teaching and Teacher Education Policy and Practice, Teacher Professional Education and Development and Curriculum Innovation in Physical Education. She has been editor, associate editor or editorial board member of several research journals including JTPE, Sport Education and Society, Theory into Practice and Irish Educational Studies with recent guest editorships of Quest, Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education and Sport Education and Society. She has published her research widely with two edited books (e.g. Sage Handbook for Physical Education) seven monographs, and over 100 refereed research articles and book chapters. She has given keynote lectures on all five continents (North and South America, Asia (Taiwan Korea), Australia, and Europe (Finland, Ireland, France, Germany) and served as International Examiner for PE and Sport Science programs, PHD doctoral theses, and National Research Foundations in many different parts of the world. She is most proud of her work as a teacher educator at Ohio State University and her work as researcher and policy advocate for PE and PE teachers and teacher educators during the last 15 years in Ireland and internationally.

Check out the full 2014 & 2015 RQES Writing Award articles here.

Distinguished Lecture Series