Designing Effective Instructional Tasks for Physical Education and Sports

Use Designing Effective Instructional Tasks for Physical Education and Sports to

-understand contemporary perspectives about learning,

-create learning tasks that will motivate participants, and

-design tasks for use with participants of all ages and abilities.

There's more to helping participants develop motor skills than just coming up with relevant drills; if you want participants to succeed, you need to structure learning tasks to keep them interested, motivated, and engaged. But, while there are many resources available to help teachers and coaches improve their curriculum, teaching skills, and management, little has been written about the critical issue of effective task design . . . until now.

Designing Effective Instructional Tasks for Physical Education and Sports provides future and practicing teachers and coaches with sound principles and practical tips for designing effective tasks for their students and athletes. The book differentiates between skills (the desired motor, fitness, cognitive, or social outcomes) and tasks (the instructional activities used in teaching each skill). Focusing primarily on motor skills, the book explains how to

-analyze each skill being taught;

-structure tasks to promote success;

-develop tasks that are fun, engaging, and safe;

-design tasks that stimulate cognitive engagement; and

-assess participants' learning as part of the task.

The text takes the most current research on learning and teaching movement activity and translates it into practical, down-to-earth suggestions for coaches and teachers. Using examples both in the gym and on the playing field, the book shows teachers and coaches alike how to develop instructional tasks that will keep participants interested and engaged—ultimately helping them to succeed.

Loaded with student-friendly features, this book is an ideal resource for physical education and coaching methods or pedagogy courses. Each chapter includes a statement of objectives, learning activities, a summary, and extensive references.

Effective task design is at the heart of effective teaching. Use Designing Effective Instructional Tasks for Physical Education and Sports to learn how to create tasks that increase your participants' chances of success.

David C. Griffey, PhD, has been preparing teachers to deliver effective instruction for more than 30 years by developing teacher effectiveness training curriculums, consulting with school districts and individual teachers on instructional design and curriculum, and mentoring teachers and coaches. A former editor of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, he now serves as a reviewer for Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; Elementary School Journal; Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport; Journal of Teaching in Physical Education; and Perceptual and Motor Skills.

Griffey has firsthand experience as a physical education instructor and coach. A member of the Phi Kappa Phi scholastic honorary society, he has conducted research projects focused on effective teaching for more than 25 years. He earned his doctorate in education and psychology from Stanford University in 1980 and received the Blue Key Society's Outstanding Teacher Award in 1990. He is currently director and senior researcher at Center on Teaching in Tucson, Arizona.

Lynn Dale Housner, PhD, has worked with preservice and in-service teachers in the areas of instructional methods and skill acquisition for more than 25 years. A member of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Educational Research Association, he has chaired NASPE's Curriculum and Instruction Academy and was recently nominated to become president of NASPE. In recognition of his outstanding career, in 2003 he was inducted into the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, an honorary organization for those who have made significant contributions to the fields of kinesiology and physical education.

Housner is an associate dean and professor of teacher education at West Virginia University. In his free time he enjoys working outdoors, reading thrillers, and traveling.