Zachary Wahl-Alexander
Biographic Data
| ID | 6685508 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Zachary Wahl-Alexander |
| GIVEN NAMES | Zachary |
| FAMILY NAME | Wahl-Alexander |
| SIGNATURE | WAHL-ALEXANDER Z |
| AFFILIATIONS | Northern Illinois University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6020-2809 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 20 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Promoting Effective Teaching and Coaching Practices in the Moment
This article provides examples of how to use the Hand of Fair Play (HOFP) in different contexts as an effective, instant choice for preservice teachers and coaches to connect larger concepts to their students’ personal and social behaviors in shared movement experiences
A Skill Theme Approach to Teaching Fundamental Motor Skills Through Gymnastics-Based Activities
This article explores the integration of the Skill Theme Movement Concept (STMC) approach into physical education curricula, focusing on gymnastics. The STMC approach categorizes movements into skill themes for developing fundamental motor skills (FMS) and movement concepts essential for physical literacy. The fundamental static gymnastics shapes and positions serve as a foundation for practicing non-locomotor skill themes. Yet, many educators la…
Navigating Student-Initiated Negotiations
Within any educational setting, teacher-student interactions undoubtedly influence the learning environment, as they can increase or decrease instructional quality. As such, these exchanges can be framed as negotiations, which are interactions between teachers and students that are aimed at changing part(s) of a lesson. While teacher–student negotiation can take place within any educational setting, the dynamic physical education environment pres…
Strategies for Applying a Multi-Country Sport Education Approach in Elementary Schools
The implementation of projects that go beyond the boundaries of schools can connect people in different countries and enhance the development of the well-known objectives of physical education (e.g., health development, teamwork, or responsibility), with the addition of specific skills (e.g., intercultural awareness, language learning, or technological skills). Specifically, Sport Education, designed under the premises of a sport season, is a sui…
Physical Education Teacher Training Within Juvenile Detention Centers
In today's rapidly evolving educational environment, there is a pressing need to train teachers to respond to the increasingly diverse needs of students. Although physical education teacher education (PETE) programs across the country offer a wide variety of early field experiences for students, very few provide opportunities to work with currently incarcerated youths. One such partnership exists at Northern Illinois University (NIU), with a coll…
Exploring physical activity trends and lesson context of incarcerated youth in a sport-leadership program
Incarcerated youth are one subset of the population in dire need of physical activity interventions. As inactivity within incarcerated populations has become a mounting public health concern, several sport-based physical activity and fitness programs within prisons have emerged. The purpose of this study is to explore physical activity levels and lesson context of a sport-leadership program in one juvenile detention center. Participants in this s…
Let’s Get Back to Basics
Educators have witnessed a multitude of changes over the past 25 years. School shootings, social media, cyberbullying, and more recently the COVID pandemic all have transformed not just education, but the concept of what a “typical” student looks like. Now, more than ever before, students are exposed to a multitude of stressors with limited help or guidance. Unfortunately, with the influx of technology and a lack of face-to-face interactions due …
Increasing Self-Efficacy of Preservice Teachers in Early Field Experiences
The primary goal of teacher education programs is to develop preservice teachers into quality future educators. Preparing these students of teaching for the realities of working with children in schools can be complex. Formal teacher training can offer detailed attention to the self-efficacy of candidates during coursework and early field experiences. The purpose of this article is to provide strategies to help teacher educators and supervisors o…
Research Brief
Research indicates that engagement in physical activity is advantageous to adolescents' overall health. One subset of the population that is not provided with ample opportunities to be physically active includes incarcerated youth. To date, sport leadership programs have been designed to target this population; yet, little is known about physical activity opportunities for participants. The purpose of this study was to explore physical activity d…
Self-Efficacy Experiences of Graduate Students Working in a Sport-based Leadership Program at a Youth Prison
Integrating Virtual Reality Into a Pete Methods Course
An emerging issue in many physical education teacher education programs across the country is the limited pedagogical knowledge and hands on teaching experience of pre-service teachers going into any early clinical setting. Due to the lack of experience and knowledge, pre-service teachers may not be successful when given the opportunity to provide instruction. This in turn impacts their development and confidence as an instructor early in their c…
What Is the “New Normal” in Physical Education Post-Covid-19
The purpose of this editorial is twofold. First, to shed light on these on-going questions that are not yet explored, and second, to provide initial strategies that could yield success upon integration with students accustomed to a less structured learning environment
No Gear? No Problem! Fitness Activities for Students With Limited Space and Equipment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends youth participate in at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day to achieve various short- and long-term health benefits. Unfortunately, only two thirds of American-born children and adolescents meet these prescribed recommendations. The purpose of this article is to highlight various exercise techniques and innovative strategies physical education teachers can e…
Changes in Daily Step Counts and Health-Related Fitness After a Sports-Based Residential Summer Camp in Boys
Several schoolwide initiatives have been created to combat the rate of obesity in adolescents. However, despite programs showing an ability to advance health-related fitness during the academic year, the summer months contribute to the most accelerated weight gain and health-related fitness (HRF) losses in school aged youth. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a residential summer camp on health-related fitness markers in ado…
Recalibrating Physical Education in an Era of Physical Activity
The purpose of this editorial is to discuss three strategies that should be implemented into any lessons, reemphasizing the cognitive, social, and affective domain, while still allowing for maximum engagement and activity time
A Roadmap to Establishing a Community Engagement Partnership between a University Pete Program and a Homeschool Community
The purpose of this article is to highlight one unique program at a university in the upper midwest and how its PETE program formed a partnership with the homeschool community in the area. Seven key steps are outlined within this article for considering a partnership between a PETE program and the homeschool community: (1) assessing the community, (2) determining fit, (3) establishing a contact person, (4) safety and logistics, (5) content develo…
Optimizing Physical Activity during Non-fitness-based Sport Education Seasons
Although fitness can be used as the content for any season, research suggests this rarely occurs. Nonetheless, even when implementing a sport-based season, there are many instructional approaches teachers can employ to further increase activity levels. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide physical educators with practical strategies aimed to elevate students' physical activity levels throughout an individual or team Sport Educatio…
A longitudinal analysis of students’ autobiographical memories of participation in multiple Sport Education seasons
The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students’ recollections of their participation in a significant number of Sport Education seasons over a period of five years. Thirty-one (18 boys and 13 girls) eighth-grade students (average age at data collection = 13 years) who had all participated in at least 17 Sport Education seasons served as the participants in this study. Autobiographical memory theory guided qualitative data collect…
Influence of a purposefully negotiated season of sport education on one teacher and his pupils
A small body of previous research suggests that teachers who purposefully negotiated the physical education curriculum empowered their pupils and enhanced the quality of their experience. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of one purposefully negotiated season of sport education (SE) on one teacher and his 18 male eighth grade pupils. Data were collected by employing seven qualitative techniques. These included extensive non-parti…
Influence of negotiations between preservice teachers and pupils on instruction within multi-activity and sport education units
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of negotiations between pupils and preservice teachers (PTs) on PTs' instruction within multi-activity (MA) teaching and sport education (SE). Participants were 17 PTs engaged in a secondary early field experience in which they taught 12-lesson MA and SE soccer units. Data were collected using six qualitative techniques and analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. Pupils ini…
Influence of a purposefully negotiated season of sport education on one teacher and his pupils
A small body of previous research suggests that teachers who purposefully negotiated the physical education curriculum empowered their pupils and enhanced the quality of their experience. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of one purposefully negotiated season of sport education (SE) on one teacher and his 18 male eighth grade pupils. Data were collected by employing seven qualitative techniques. These included extensive non-parti…
A longitudinal analysis of students’ autobiographical memories of participation in multiple Sport Education seasons
The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students’ recollections of their participation in a significant number of Sport Education seasons over a period of five years. Thirty-one (18 boys and 13 girls) eighth-grade students (average age at data collection = 13 years) who had all participated in at least 17 Sport Education seasons served as the participants in this study. Autobiographical memory theory guided qualitative data collect…
Influence of negotiations between preservice teachers and pupils on instruction within multi-activity and sport education units
The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of negotiations between pupils and preservice teachers (PTs) on PTs' instruction within multi-activity (MA) teaching and sport education (SE). Participants were 17 PTs engaged in a secondary early field experience in which they taught 12-lesson MA and SE soccer units. Data were collected using six qualitative techniques and analyzed using analytic induction and constant comparison. Pupils ini…
Influence of a purposefully negotiated season of sport education on one teacher and his pupils
A small body of previous research suggests that teachers who purposefully negotiated the physical education curriculum empowered their pupils and enhanced the quality of their experience. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of one purposefully negotiated season of sport education (SE) on one teacher and his 18 male eighth grade pupils. Data were collected by employing seven qualitative techniques. These included extensive non-parti…
A longitudinal analysis of students’ autobiographical memories of participation in multiple Sport Education seasons
The purpose of this study was to examine middle school students’ recollections of their participation in a significant number of Sport Education seasons over a period of five years. Thirty-one (18 boys and 13 girls) eighth-grade students (average age at data collection = 13 years) who had all participated in at least 17 Sport Education seasons served as the participants in this study. Autobiographical memory theory guided qualitative data collect…
Changes in Daily Step Counts and Health-Related Fitness After a Sports-Based Residential Summer Camp in Boys
Several schoolwide initiatives have been created to combat the rate of obesity in adolescents. However, despite programs showing an ability to advance health-related fitness during the academic year, the summer months contribute to the most accelerated weight gain and health-related fitness (HRF) losses in school aged youth. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a residential summer camp on health-related fitness markers in ado…
Recalibrating Physical Education in an Era of Physical Activity
The purpose of this editorial is to discuss three strategies that should be implemented into any lessons, reemphasizing the cognitive, social, and affective domain, while still allowing for maximum engagement and activity time
A Roadmap to Establishing a Community Engagement Partnership between a University Pete Program and a Homeschool Community
The purpose of this article is to highlight one unique program at a university in the upper midwest and how its PETE program formed a partnership with the homeschool community in the area. Seven key steps are outlined within this article for considering a partnership between a PETE program and the homeschool community: (1) assessing the community, (2) determining fit, (3) establishing a contact person, (4) safety and logistics, (5) content develo…
Optimizing Physical Activity during Non-fitness-based Sport Education Seasons
Although fitness can be used as the content for any season, research suggests this rarely occurs. Nonetheless, even when implementing a sport-based season, there are many instructional approaches teachers can employ to further increase activity levels. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide physical educators with practical strategies aimed to elevate students' physical activity levels throughout an individual or team Sport Educatio…
Self-Efficacy Experiences of Graduate Students Working in a Sport-based Leadership Program at a Youth Prison
Integrating Virtual Reality Into a Pete Methods Course
An emerging issue in many physical education teacher education programs across the country is the limited pedagogical knowledge and hands on teaching experience of pre-service teachers going into any early clinical setting. Due to the lack of experience and knowledge, pre-service teachers may not be successful when given the opportunity to provide instruction. This in turn impacts their development and confidence as an instructor early in their c…
What Is the “New Normal” in Physical Education Post-Covid-19
The purpose of this editorial is twofold. First, to shed light on these on-going questions that are not yet explored, and second, to provide initial strategies that could yield success upon integration with students accustomed to a less structured learning environment
No Gear? No Problem! Fitness Activities for Students With Limited Space and Equipment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends youth participate in at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day to achieve various short- and long-term health benefits. Unfortunately, only two thirds of American-born children and adolescents meet these prescribed recommendations. The purpose of this article is to highlight various exercise techniques and innovative strategies physical education teachers can e…
Exploring physical activity trends and lesson context of incarcerated youth in a sport-leadership program
Incarcerated youth are one subset of the population in dire need of physical activity interventions. As inactivity within incarcerated populations has become a mounting public health concern, several sport-based physical activity and fitness programs within prisons have emerged. The purpose of this study is to explore physical activity levels and lesson context of a sport-leadership program in one juvenile detention center. Participants in this s…
Let’s Get Back to Basics
Educators have witnessed a multitude of changes over the past 25 years. School shootings, social media, cyberbullying, and more recently the COVID pandemic all have transformed not just education, but the concept of what a “typical” student looks like. Now, more than ever before, students are exposed to a multitude of stressors with limited help or guidance. Unfortunately, with the influx of technology and a lack of face-to-face interactions due …
Increasing Self-Efficacy of Preservice Teachers in Early Field Experiences
The primary goal of teacher education programs is to develop preservice teachers into quality future educators. Preparing these students of teaching for the realities of working with children in schools can be complex. Formal teacher training can offer detailed attention to the self-efficacy of candidates during coursework and early field experiences. The purpose of this article is to provide strategies to help teacher educators and supervisors o…
Research Brief
Research indicates that engagement in physical activity is advantageous to adolescents' overall health. One subset of the population that is not provided with ample opportunities to be physically active includes incarcerated youth. To date, sport leadership programs have been designed to target this population; yet, little is known about physical activity opportunities for participants. The purpose of this study was to explore physical activity d…
Strategies for Applying a Multi-Country Sport Education Approach in Elementary Schools
The implementation of projects that go beyond the boundaries of schools can connect people in different countries and enhance the development of the well-known objectives of physical education (e.g., health development, teamwork, or responsibility), with the addition of specific skills (e.g., intercultural awareness, language learning, or technological skills). Specifically, Sport Education, designed under the premises of a sport season, is a sui…
Physical Education Teacher Training Within Juvenile Detention Centers
In today's rapidly evolving educational environment, there is a pressing need to train teachers to respond to the increasingly diverse needs of students. Although physical education teacher education (PETE) programs across the country offer a wide variety of early field experiences for students, very few provide opportunities to work with currently incarcerated youths. One such partnership exists at Northern Illinois University (NIU), with a coll…
A Skill Theme Approach to Teaching Fundamental Motor Skills Through Gymnastics-Based Activities
This article explores the integration of the Skill Theme Movement Concept (STMC) approach into physical education curricula, focusing on gymnastics. The STMC approach categorizes movements into skill themes for developing fundamental motor skills (FMS) and movement concepts essential for physical literacy. The fundamental static gymnastics shapes and positions serve as a foundation for practicing non-locomotor skill themes. Yet, many educators la…
Navigating Student-Initiated Negotiations
Within any educational setting, teacher-student interactions undoubtedly influence the learning environment, as they can increase or decrease instructional quality. As such, these exchanges can be framed as negotiations, which are interactions between teachers and students that are aimed at changing part(s) of a lesson. While teacher–student negotiation can take place within any educational setting, the dynamic physical education environment pres…
Promoting Effective Teaching and Coaching Practices in the Moment
This article provides examples of how to use the Hand of Fair Play (HOFP) in different contexts as an effective, instant choice for preservice teachers and coaches to connect larger concepts to their students’ personal and social behaviors in shared movement experiences
Psychology (17 works) · Medicine (11 works) · Mathematics education (10 works) · Physical Education and Pedagogy (10 works) · Pedagogy (9 works) · Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport (8 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Children's Physical and Motor Development (6 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Medical education (6 works)