Students and Learning
The learner-based outcome that I've chosen for this paper involves all students being able to successfully complete a physical education curriculum designed to enhance overall physical strength, improve dexterity and increase stamina. For this learner-based outcome, it is important to create a rubric so that students understand the criteria involved for measuring success. Toward this endeavor, it is important to include concrete, attainable and measurable goals for all students.
Such a physical education curriculum involving learner based outcomes is justified given the importance of physical activity for children. Childhood obesity is a serious social problem in America. The effects of obesity in childhood are well documented in both the social science literature and medical journals. During the last 30 years, the percentage of obese children between the ages of 6 and 11 has risen 200% while the percentage of obese children between 12 and 19 has tripled (CDC, Preventing Childhood Obesity, 2010). Obesity in the United States has increased among all cohorts and ethnicities, spans across generations, and is not limited to income or educational levels.
Rink (2001, p. 123-124) notes that while there "may be no one best way to teach, there may be a best way to teach particular content to particular learners." McCaughtry & Rovegno (2003) observe that while poor or inexperienced teachers may be aware of student diversity, they tend to rationalize this as the students' problem....
In this regard a differentiated instructional model is able to accommodate learners of differing abilities, backgrounds, and interests.
While there are many different types of learner based outcomes that are appropriate for school aged children in the subject of physical education, for the purposes of this paper, I have chosen to focus on one California content standard: participate three to four days each week in moderate to vigorous physical activities that increase breathing and heart rate. This general learner-based outcome is relatively easy to monitor and measure, and allows for a great deal of variety in the types of exercise that can achieve this learner goal. Further, this learner-based goal allows students to engage in a wide range of activities that are of interest to individual students. For example, while some students may not enjoy playing football or basketball, the learner-based outcome of "moderate to vigorous" physical activities can be achieved with swimming, playing soccer, running track, or, for students who have physical challenges, even a brisk walk around the school track may be sufficient to achieve this goal.
It is important to note that in implementing and maintaining such a standards-based goal, students should be…
