Fourth and Fifth Grade Children's Understanding of Physical Activity: The Development of Three Alternative Assessments

The purpose of this study was to design, pilot, and evaluate three alternative assessments that measured fourth and fifth grade student's understanding of physical activity guidelines as contained in the Surgeon General's Report (USDHHS, 1996). The alternative assessments were: 1. designing a booklet for a peer named Homer, 2. creating a Video Tape Advertisement for students at another school; and 3. coding the perceived intensity level for one minute intervals at an active aerobic type station (Perceived Intensity Level Assessment Task).

Four research questions guided the evaluation of the assessment tasks. They were: 1. Do students who have been taught the physical activity guidelines score differently on the alternative assessment than those who have not been taught the guidelines? 2. Do content experts agree that scores can be used to describe what students have learned (content validity)? 3. Do students find the assessment task worthwhile, enjoyable, and meaningful? 4. Is the alternative assessment prototype "feasible" for a teacher to administer in a regular physical education setting?

Student score results, student self-reflections, and student interview data were used to evaluate the first and third research questions. Teacher interview data and Content Expert validity score results were used to analyze the second and fourth research questions.

Results from this study indicated that the Homer Booklet Assessment Task discriminated between those students who were taught (experienced group) and those who were not taught (inexperienced group). Furthermore, both the Content Experts and the teacher found this assessment to have high content validity and found it to be feasible to use in a regular physical education setting. Although the students enjoyed the Homer Booklet Task they found it to be the least enjoyable of the three assessment tasks. In contrast, students enjoyed the Video Tape Advertisement Task best. Although this assessment task did discriminate between those who were taught and not taught there were a couple of problems with this assessment. The teacher and Content Experts found this task to have feasibility problems and scores did not discriminate for style. Finally, the Perceived Intensity Level Assessment Task did not discriminate between students who were taught and not taught.