To examine the relationship between children's perceived and actual motor competence, 218 children between the ages of 9 and 11 years individually completed the Motor Skill Perceived Competence Scale. After completing the scale, the subject's actual motor competence was measured on a series of gross motor tests. Incomplete principal component analysis identified two actual motor competence dimensions from the motor test battery. The two factors included a lower-body and an upper-body factor of actual motor competence. A two-factor analysis of variance indicated that the boys and girls differed in perceived competence and actual competence. The boys showed higher perceived competence and actual motor competence. In addition, the 9-, 10-, and 11-year-old age groups differed from each other on the lower-body factor of actual motor competence. As age increased, lower-body competence increased. Regression analysis indicated that actual and perceived motor competence was moderately correlated. Adding age to the multiple regression model significantly increased the multiple correlation. Adding gender to the model did not increase the correlation, showing that perceived competence was a function of actual motor competence and age, and this finding held for boys and girls. These findings showed that 9-, 10-, and 11-yr-old children can assess personal motor competence. However, practitioners should attempt to understand children's perceived competence given that their assessments are not extremely accurate.

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Background: Although service-learning scholarship in physical education teacher education (PETE) programs has shown positive results, little is known about the reciprocal benefits of PETE service-learning programs on underserved students and physical education preservice teachers. Purpose: This study examined the impacts on students and teachers of integrating two physical education curricula within a service-learning program using a mixed-methods approach. Methods: A pretest–posttest design investigated changes in cardiorespiratory endurance training among students (n = 50). Reflective journals, interviews, and field notes assessed program impact on preservice teachers (n = 16). Results: Findings revealed a significant improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance among students, while qualitative data provide evidence of increases in general pedagogical content, knowledge of curriculum, and knowledge of educational contexts among teachers. Discussion/Conclusion: This study adds important reciprocity findings to PETE service-learning literature.

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This study explored inclusion practices in general physical education (GPE) from the experiences and perspectives of elementary physical education teachers. The stories of four teachers (two females, two males) between 27 and 57 years of age were gathered using the phenomenological methods of semi-structured interviews, photographs, school documents, and field notes. Bandura's social-cognitive theory provided a conceptual framework to interpret the findings of this inquiry. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis: engaging in learning; adapting strategies to meet students' needs; and moving beyond the educational goals. The findings suggest that inclusion practices (teacher's behaviours) in GPE were constructed by the dynamic interactions between teachers' knowledge of disability and motivation to learn about their students (personal factors) and children's needs and learning goals (environment).