Learning Goals

The objectives of the program are to increase the students' breadth and depth of knowledge relative to the discipline of Kinesiology and Health Science; to provide the opportunity for students to engage in scholarly activity that includes creative, critical, and analytical thinking, interpreting, evaluating and reporting published research, designing and conducting research; and to provide a focus of study that will enhance career commitment and allow for experiences that will lead to continued self-development and growth.

The KHS Department achieves its goals by:

The following are the learning expectations for the Physical Education Concentration. They are based on the requirements of the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing. All students who are granted subject matter competency in physical education will be required to fulfill these learning expectations. The Blended Program Option includes the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Preparation Programs expectations.

1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of human growth and development processes, as well as how these processes interact with and influence motor learning.

2. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific bases of human movement including:

3. The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the sociology and psychology of human movement including:

4.  The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of movement concepts and forms including:

5. The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of assessment principles and procedures in order to be able to evaluate the effectiveness of physical education strategies and activities in promoting student achievement including:

6. The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical, historical, and legal/ethical foundations of physical education including:

7. The student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the integration on themes and concepts in physical education and the interrelationships between physical education and other subject areas including:

Those students who are completing the blended credential option are required to fulfill the following additional learning expectations.

Student Teaching Phase

General Education Option

The expectations of the students who choose the general education option are as follows.

Exercise Science

In the KINS 153 class (the capstone course for Exercise Science), a set of competencies are expected to be mastered in the culminating experience, which is a client evaluation (see Appendix X). These competencies incorporate skills that students were to have learned in previous classes, as well as skills learned during the KINS 153 course. The list of competencies closely matches the set of knowledge, skills, and abilities required by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for the Health Fitness Instructor Certification (see Appendix Z). At this time, the Exercise Science Faculty are considering adopting the Knowledge's, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) set for by ACSM, and apply for official status with the organization.

Athletic Training

The Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) follows the requirements for Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). See Appendix BB for competencies in athletic training. The twelve domains are:

For each of these domains, there are cognitive, psychomotor and affective objectives. These are found in in the Athletic Training Matrix.

Graduate Program

Students are expected to acquire a foundation in the general field of Kinesiology and select an option within the program that allows them to focus on a specific sub discipline. The graduate committee is currently discussing measures to ensure this foundation in the broader field of kinesiology through a continued examination of the core courses offered. Expectations related to writing and reading in the graduate program is determined by individual faculty members. One significant writing assignment for all graduate students is the completion of a project or thesis. The project/thesis requires the appropriate use of the discipline-specific writing style (APA) and is approved by a committee of two faculty members, a chair and a reader, as well as the approval of the graduate coordinator. Additionally, the students must complete the WPE (Writing Proficiency Exam) before writing the project/thesis. Though coursework throughout the program provides opportunities for practice and the development of both reading and writing skills, the project/thesis stands alone as the best measure for student meeting exit requirements and outcomes.

Writing and Reading in the Major Including (See Writing Rubrics):

Physical Education

The subject matter program in physical education is embedded with multiple experiences for writing and reading assignments. Each specific course has within its syllabus, a complete list of writing and reading assignments. The written assignments include an autobiography, teaching philosophy, reflective teaching papers, laboratory write ups, research papers, unit plans, lesson plans, and written advocacy projects, to name just a few. Each course has required reading materials that supplement the goals and objectives of the class. The list of required readings is found in each syllabus. A sample of writing and reading assignments are as follows.

Pedagogy Courses:

Science:

Analysis:

The standards for general expository and discipline-specific writing and reading are at the discretion of each teacher. Faculty are encouraged to attend the numerous campus-wide workshops that are sponsored by the University Reading and Writing Center.

The University Reading and Writing subcommittee's grading rubric is distributed to faculty at the beginning of the school year in order to standardize the writing expectations across the curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to develop a similar grading rubric that meets their standards and requirements

The physical education concentration believes that writing is a crucial skill necessary for all graduates. KINS 133, Integration of Concepts (3 units), is a required course for all students. The course is a study of the major themes and concepts of physical education and the interrelationships that exist among physical education and other subject areas. This course fulfills the general education university writing intensive requirement and promotes the student's ability to write logically and clearly, using standard written English, in the major.

Currently we have revised our physical education program to meet the standards for a Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved Physical Education Blended Program. Our writing and reading component has been scrutinized and revised within the last six months and we are pl ann ing to review the process in three years.

Exercise Science

In all lab based classes in the Exercise Science option, including Exercise Physiology (KINS 152), Motor Learning (KINS 158), Cardiovascular Testing and Exercise Prescription (KINS153), Kinesiology (KINS 151), and Biomechanics (KINS 151A and KINS 151D), students are expected to write formal laboratory reports in a scientific m ann er. The writing guidelines implemented for these reports are generally the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Students are expected to develop skills in writing clearly and concisely. In all of these classes, students are required to read some current literature related to the discipline. In some classes, students are also required to write critiques of some of the research studies that were read. In the KINS 153 course (capstone course), students write a formal client evaluation report. The report is evaluated for style and content (see Appendix AA).

In the Therapeutic and Exercise Rehabilitation option, the KINS 154A class contains a research component that requires critical reading, abstracting, and presenting current scientific research in the therapeutic area. Students learn to understand the organization of scientific and medical articles, how to critique research, and how to present their information in written and verbal form. In KINS 157, students are required to do writing assignments throughout the semester, including portfolio entries for application of class concepts, a formal paper focused on posture, muscle balance, and rehabilitation, and an oral and written presentation on a specific rehabilitation topic.

Students in all lab based classes are expected to write papers using APA format. The instructors take the responsibility in guiding the student through the process. Papers are graded for content, grammar, and organization. Students are expected to read critically, use correct citation format, write an organized and grammatically correct paper, and form clinical recommendations based upon research.

In several classes, students are encouraged to read above and beyond the requirements by being offered extra credit reading and writing assignments. Included with the course outline of most courses is a list of research articles labeled as "suggested readings."

Athletic Training

Descriptions of current writing and reading requirements can be found in the course syllabi for ATEP courses. Students are expected to use the APA format for their written work which includes lab reports and research papers. KINS 154A and KINS 157 are also requirements for the ATEP. See Exercise Science for research and writing component. All students must also complete a four to five semester portfolio of their work for KINS 195C and KINS 195D, the phases of the clinical athletic training program.

Grad Program

Faculty members assign reading and writing assignments that are appropriate and specific to the learning objectives in the respective courses and sub disciplines. Assessment of the current requirements occurs at the individual faculty member level, the committee level, as well as the university level. Coursework and class time serve as opportunities to teach students how to critically “read” discipline related literature and write a review of literature, as well as other course assignments, such as lab reports, field notes, research papers, presentations, etc.

Computer/information Competence (See Technology Matrix).

Kinesiology

Students in all options are required to use various computer and information technology in the course of completing assigned work. When conducting literature searches for research projects, students are encouraged to utilize computer and library databases to search for relevant and current research. In many cases, tutorials regarding the use of these tools are provided.

Students are expected to understand basic computer software, including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation programs. In several classes, individual or group project presentations are a major portion of student grades. Generally, presentation software (such as PowerPoint) is utilized by students to make these presentations.

The Commission of Teacher Credentialing has set a standard for use of technology in the classroom by teachers. The physical education option meets or exceeds all of these Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Preparation Programs (approved 12/2003).

Students in the exercise science option are introduced to the latest technology in human movement analysis. Instrumentation learned by students includes software and hardware to perform metabolic measurements, electrocardiographic analysis, electromyographic data collection, motion analysis, and ground reaction force measurements. Equipment is utilized from a variety of manufacturers.

Physical Education

Expectations are based on several factors. First as a Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved Blended Physical Education Program we are required to meet state standards on writing, reading, and computer/information competence. Second, as a faculty, we are committed to graduating quality teachers who are able to meet the standards for general expository and discipline-specific writing and reading skills as well as be efficient in the use of computers for a variety of personal professional roles. And, third we are committed to meet the university's commitment to developing sound reading and writing skills.

Exercise Science

Expectations are based upon a variety of variables including the judgment of faculty and standard/trends in discipline. The faculty often obtain their expectations through contact with colleagues at other schools, and with various members of the community. The faculty have done some preliminary work toward obtaining “Recognized Status” from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Athletic Training

The ATEP (Athletic Training Education Program) follows the requirements for CAAHEP accreditation. Students provide feedback every semester via evaluation of the clinical experience, site and instructor. Surveys for alumni and employers are being developed.

Graduate Program

These expectations are based on the judgment of faculty, standards and trends in the discipline and sub disciplines, and the expectations of programs at other CSU graduate institutions. The CSUS graduate curriculum differs from most CSU graduate programs in offering such focused options without offering a foundational component to the broader field of Kinesiology. Again, the graduate committee is engaged in on-going dialogues related to the number of units in a core, the offerings in a core, as well as the courses offered in the options, and what those options will be titled.

Kinesiology Response

The learning expectations are contained in the specific course syllabi (see KHS Class Syllabi) that pertain to that learning outcome. Expectations are also communicated during academic advising sessions with individual students, and during transfer and freshman orientation sessions. The learning expectations are also included in the various program handbooks (Appendix DD, Appendix F), the Catalog, and posted on program websites. Students in the Athletic Training Program (clinical portion of the program), are required to attend meetings held on the first and third Mondays of the month when information is given to the student as needed. Students also have the opportunity to meet with the advisor at any time.

Curriculum Structure (including core requirements, prerequisites, and electives) to Achieve Learning Expectations (see Analysis Course Matrix).

Physical Education

The physical education concentration is 120 units. It is divided in to a blend credential option and a general option. Each option consists of specific course work. Expectations appear in each course syllabi (KHS Class Syllabi). Students are advised on which courses to take both in the physical education program check list and the two year schedule (see Appendix D). Individual faculty members also meet with students for advisement. Students are required to meet early in the semester with faculty members as a requirement in the KINS 138 course.

Exercise Science

The Exercise Science Major core requirements include basic knowledge in chemistry, physics, and biology along with one course in each of the major disciplines of exercise science (i. e. biomechanics, exercise physiology, kinesiology, etc. ). The upper division requirements of the major expand the student's knowledge in field of exercise science by including hands on experiences in cardiovascular testing, exercise prescription, resistance exercise, sport psychology, exercise injury, and other areas within the discipline. Elective course are provided to give the students the opportunity to take courses that will prepare them to work within a specific discipline (see Appendix E)

Currently, our major does require more than 120 units. These courses are required to cover the competencies for certification with the American College of Sports Medicine. However, since the last self-study 6 units have been removed from the major requirements.

Students in the Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation Track of Exercise Science take 76 units in the major, so that total units to graduation are 127. Initially, this number of units was necessary for students to fulfill requirements to apply to physical therapy schools. As prerequisites at the CSUS Physical Therapy Program have decreased, students would be able to meet prerequisite requirements with fewer units. The Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation could conceivably drop 3 to 6 units, making the track 73 or 70 units. Care must be taken with this decision, because, in order to satisfy requirements for more than one graduate school, students may still need the extra units. The option needs to exist for students to fulfill requirements for graduate school, without being pressured to graduate before they are prepared.

Athletic Training

The ATEP follows the NATA Education Council Matrix of clinical proficiencies and competencies. These are given to the faculty teaching the individual courses in the curriculum periodically to see that that are met in the curriculum. Because the curriculum must meet the requirements for national accreditation, it is necessary to meet the coursework and content requirements (see the CSUS ATEP Competency Matrix, Appendix BB). This has resulted in the unit requirement total to be greater than 120.

Graduate Program

All graduate students are currently required to complete seven units classified as core requirements. Within the last academic year, KINS 270 Instructional Strategies was eliminated from the core, allowing for the three units to be completed using elective courses. Anticipated changes in the core include eliminating KINS 260 Sport Psychology. One proposal being considered involves the design of a new course appropriate for both options. This course would then be added to the core to help accomplish the goal of a core that is representative of the broader field of Kinesiology. Most campus graduate programs have core offerings totaling at least 10 units.

We currently offer two options: Exercise Science and Sport Performance. Within sport performance, a student can choose the concentration of strength and conditioning. The graduate committee has worked over the last two year to change the original option title of exercise physiology to exercise science in an attempt to make the option more inclusive of student and faculty working in biomechanics, as well as exercise physiology. Likewise, the graduate committee is currently determining how the title sport performance can be replaced with several other option titles to accurately reflect the sub disciplines within the option; for example, sport psychology, sport pedagogy, cultural studies of sport, motor learning, sport management, and having strength and conditioning as an option rather than a concentration.

Students who enter the graduate program without a Kinesiology or related degree, or the degree has passed the seven year currency, are required to complete 20 units of predetermined coursework in Kinesiology. The 20 units are required to provide the student with an adequate foundation from which to begin graduate studies in the area.

Electives in the graduate program are offered and designed to allow students to concentrate on sub disciplines in the field of Kinesiology. With the mentoring of a faculty advisor, a graduate student may select electives that provide the student with an appropriate foundation of knowledge that will allow the student to pursue employment in the field or an advanced degree in the area.

Teaching Strategies Effective in Helping Students Achieve Learning Expectations (e. g. service learning, field work, application assignments, etc.)

Kinesiology

A variety of teaching strategies are employed in classes in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science. Faculty employ a variety of teaching strategies in order to help students achieve the learning expectations, including field work, internships, application assignments, online experiences, research projects, laboratory experiments, and a variety of in-class work (see KHS Class Syllabi). The online components incorporate reading, writing, presentation, and computer components. The in-class strategies include individual and group work. Individual learning experiences include subject specifi c r esearch, professional journal article reviews, online self-assessments, examinations, and field internships. Group learning experiences include group projects, journal article discussions, and project assignments. Depending on the course, individuals or groups are required to complete a class presentation.

Highlights of some of these strategies are the following. In the Physical Education concentration the KINS 138, Teaching Strategies in Physical Education, students are introduced to the cooperative learning model and placed in two different and diverse cooperative learning teams over the course of the semester. Students have opportunities in class to cooperate with their team members on various tasks, including peer teaching and an oral final examination. Several courses within the physical education option have been designated service learning courses: KINS 130, PE for Children; KINS 137, Sociology of Sport; and KINS 177, Introduction to Adapted Physical Education. All three include a significant field experience. These service learning classes offer opportunities for CSUS students to "integrate community service with academic study and they promote civic awareness and social responsibility along with opportunities for civic engagement. In addition to the three designated service learning courses, students do extensive guided fieldwork in a secondary physical setting in KINS 131, KINS 148, Analysis of Non-Traditional Games and Outdoor Activities and in KINS 149, Analysis of Health-Related Fitness. In Exercise Science field experience is particularly useful in helping students to apply classroom information, and in bringing real world experience to the classroom. On midterm and final evaluations, students report that these mock patient portfolios are useful learning tools. Athletic Training classes are mostly lecture/laboratory classes which allow for hands-on experience. The athletic training students is required to complete four full semesters of fieldwork in an athletic training setting under the direct supervision of an NATABOC Certified Athletic Trainer. This is completed after a semester of observation. Students are also required to prepare a five-semester portfolio of their experiences, assignments and coursework during their clinical experience. This portfolio also includes a current resume, their student evaluations and materials that will assist them in preparing for the national certification exam.