Kinesiology and Physical Education: A Curriculum (Dis)Alignment Perspective

in Kinesiology Review

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Ang Chen Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1352-7384 *
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2022-0029
Keywords:
curriculum reform; K–12 schools; curriculum research; knowledge of most worth
First Published Online:
09 Feb 2023
In Print:
Volume 12: Issue 2
Page Range:
135–143
Restricted access

This conceptual article focuses on the curriculum disalignment issue that seems to be a contributor to the marginalization of K–12 physical education. Through a brief historical review of events, especially the 1991 Critical Crossroads conference, the article explores and explains reasons that the future of K–12 physical education should rely on developing health-centered, concept-based curricula consistent with kinesiology science. In a major section, the article documents a 20-year effort and findings of curriculum intervention research in elementary, middle, and high schools to advocate and deliberate the need for a curriculum reform that should center on aligning physical education with kinesiology science. Implications of the kinesiology–physical education curriculum alignment to student learning are emphasized, and a paradigm change perspective to curriculum reform is discussed as a path to revitalize K–12 physical education.

Address author correspondence to a_chen@uncg.edu, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1352-7384

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