Study Guide

Physical Education
Test Design and Framework

The test design below describes general assessment information. The framework that follows is a detailed outline that explains the knowledge and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

Format	Computer-based test (CBT) and online-proctored test
Number of Questions	100 multiple-choice questions
Time*	2 hours
Passing Score	220

*Does not include 15-minute tutorial

Test Framework

 

Content Domain		Range of Competencies	Approximate Percentage of Test Score
I.	Movement Skills and Activities	0001–0005	40%
II.	Health-Related Physical Fitness	0006–0009	30%
III.	The Foundations of Physical Education	0010–0014	30%

Domain I–Movement Skills and Activities

Competency 0001–Understand principles of motor development and efficient human movement.

For example:

• Recognize sequences and characteristics of motor development during early childhood, middle and late childhood, and adolescence.
• Apply knowledge of theories, concepts, and typical progressions of motor learning.
• Demonstrate knowledge of components of perceptual-motor development and how they relate to motor skill acquisition and performance.
• Analyze factors that influence motor development, motor learning, and motor control.
• Apply knowledge of motor-learning concepts and principles such as those related to readiness, practice, retention, feedback, transfer of learning, and motor-task analysis.
• Recognize biomechanical concepts and principles such as those related to motion, momentum, stability, gravity, power, force, rotation, inertia, speed, acceleration, equilibrium, and velocity.
• Apply knowledge of biomechanical concepts and principles in the context of various movement activities and efficient body mechanics.

Competency 0002–Understand movement concepts and fundamental movement skills.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of movement concepts such as relationships, personal and general space, force, direction, time, level, pathway, energy/effort, flow, and speed.
• Apply knowledge of principles and activities for developing students' understanding and use of movement concepts in various activities.
• Identify characteristics and critical elements of locomotor skills.
• Identify characteristics and critical elements of nonlocomotor skills.
• Identify characteristics and critical elements of manipulative skills.
• Apply knowledge of developmental games and activities for promoting students' use of locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative skills and use of these skills in combination with movement concepts.

Competency 0003–Understand principles, activities, and techniques for body management, rhythmic movement, and creative expression and dance skills.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of types, characteristics, and critical elements of static and dynamic balance skills, as well as principles, techniques, and safety practices for developing students' balance and weight transfer skills.
• Recognize essential elements of global rhythms and rhythmic patterns; and principles, techniques, and types of music for developing students' rhythmic awareness.
• Apply knowledge of types and characteristics of rhythmic activities and strategies, resources, and safety practices for promoting students' ability to move rhythmically and create rhythmic routines.
• Apply knowledge of how to promote students' ability to interpret and move to music, communicate through movement, and analyze the creative and aesthetic aspects of diverse rhythmic movement and dance.
• Demonstrate knowledge of multicultural forms of dance; basic dance steps and sequences; and significant social, cultural, and historical aspects of dance from a global perspective.
• Recognize principles, techniques, resources, and activities for developing students' dance skills.
• Recognize the benefits of skill development and participation in body management, rhythmic, creative movement, and dance activities.

Competency 0004–Understand principles, skills, and techniques for individual, dual, and team sports.

For example:

• Apply knowledge of rules, activities, skills, etiquette, types and uses of equipment, organizational strategies, and safety practices for individual and dual sports.
• Apply knowledge of rules, activities, skills, etiquette, types and uses of equipment, organizational strategies, and safety practices for team sports.
• Apply knowledge of critical elements, techniques, and proper form for executing a variety of sports skills.
• Analyze how to modify and adapt sports activities to promote maximum participation and inclusion.
• Apply knowledge of activities and approaches for promoting tactical awareness and use of offensive and defensive strategies in team/invasion, net/wall, striking/fielding, and target sports.
• Distinguish between sports activities appropriate for various purposes and developmental levels.
• Recognize the benefits of skill development and participation in individual, dual, and team sports.

Competency 0005–Understand principles, skills, and techniques for outdoor pursuits, recreational activities, and cooperative group games and challenges.

For example:

• Apply knowledge of principles, techniques, skills, etiquette, types and uses of equipment, organizational strategies, and safety practices for leisure and recreational activities.
• Apply knowledge of principles, techniques, skills, etiquette, types and uses of equipment, organizational strategies, and safety practices for outdoor pursuits and adventure education activities.
• Apply knowledge of principles, techniques, skills, etiquette, types and uses of equipment, organizational strategies, and safety practices for cooperative group games and challenges.
• Analyze how to modify and adapt outdoor pursuits, recreational activities, and cooperative group games and challenges to promote maximum participation and inclusion.
• Distinguish between outdoor pursuits, recreational activities, and cooperative group games and challenges appropriate for various purposes and developmental levels.
• Recognize the benefits of skill development and participation in outdoor pursuits, recreational activities, and cooperative group games and challenges.

Domain II–Health-Related Physical Fitness

Competency 0006–Understand basic concepts of anatomy and physiology, major components of personal wellness and fitness, and significant factors that influence wellness and fitness, including diverse cultural, economic, and geographic contexts.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the general organization and components of the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, respiratory, nervous, and digestive systems.
• Apply knowledge of the functions, actions, and physiological processes of the major body systems.
• Recognize the interactions between body systems in producing movement and ways in which energy systems are utilized during physical activity.
• Demonstrate knowledge of dimensions and components of wellness and principles and techniques for maintaining wellness throughout the lifespan.
• Distinguish among common types, functions, and sources of essential nutrients and ways in which nutrition affects physical fitness and performance.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the health-related components of physical fitness and types of activities used to promote each component.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the skill-related components of fitness and types of activities used to promote each component.
• Demonstrate knowledge of fitness training and conditioning principles (e.g., frequency, intensity, time, type of exercise, specificity, progressive overload) and ways in which they are used and adjusted to improve physical fitness.
• Recognize various factors that influence physical fitness and health (e.g., inactivity, stress, alcohol and drug use) and potential health risks associated with these factors.
• Recognize the role of a physically active lifestyle in reducing, managing, and preventing stress, illness, and disease.

Competency 0007–Understand principles and activities for promoting cardiorespiratory fitness.

For example:

• Identify principles, skills, techniques, safety practices, and physiological processes and adaptations involved in developing and improving cardiorespiratory endurance (e.g., appropriate warm-ups and cool-downs).
• Demonstrate understanding of techniques and resources, including technology, for determining and monitoring intensity, duration, and endurance levels during aerobic activities (e.g., calculating target heart rate, using heart rate monitors, using self-assessment, monitoring pulse rate).
• Apply knowledge of types of cardiorespiratory fitness activities and developmentally appropriate equipment, practices, and considerations for these activities.
• Distinguish between cardiorespiratory fitness activities appropriate for various developmental levels and purposes.
• Demonstrate knowledge of procedures and methods for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness.
• Recognize the health and wellness benefits of participation in cardiorespiratory fitness activities.

Competency 0008–Understand principles and activities for promoting muscular strength and endurance and muscular and joint flexibility.

For example:

• Recognize principles, skills, techniques, safety practices, and physiological processes involved in developing and improving muscular strength and endurance.
• Recognize principles, skills, techniques, safety practices, and physiological processes and adaptations involved in developing and improving flexibility.
• Apply knowledge of types of muscular strength and endurance and flexibility activities and developmentally appropriate equipment, practices, and considerations for these activities.
• Distinguish between muscular strength and endurance and flexibility activities appropriate for various developmental levels and purposes.
• Analyze the safety and effectiveness of various strengthening and stretching exercises.
• Demonstrate knowledge of procedures and methods for assessing muscular strength and endurance and flexibility.
• Recognize the health and wellness benefits of participation in muscular strength and endurance and flexibility activities.

Competency 0009–Understand strategies and activities for promoting healthy levels of body composition and the skills needed to develop personal health and physical activity plans.

For example:

• Analyze the relationships between nutrition, physical activity, and body composition.
• Apply knowledge of strategies, activities, and resources for developing and maintaining healthy levels of body composition.
• Demonstrate knowledge of accurate techniques and resources for measuring and evaluating body composition.
• Recognize strategies and activities for integrating healthy eating patterns and effective weight management practices into daily living and the benefits of achieving and maintaining healthy levels of body composition.
• Demonstrate knowledge of resources, tools, and guidelines to use in developing personal health and physical activity plans (e.g., USDA's ChooseMyPlate, Physical Activity Tracker).
• Demonstrate knowledge of criteria and procedures for analyzing and managing personal resources in relation to health and physical activity goals and strategies.
• Apply knowledge of ways to promote students' ability to analyze current fitness and activity levels, determine individual strengths and needs, and create individualized physical activity goals.
• Apply knowledge of principles and strategies for designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating personal health and physical activity plans.

Domain III–The Foundations of Physical Education

Competency 0010–Understand factors that influence growth, development, and learning and the importance of developing physically literate individuals.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of stages and characteristics of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development from early childhood through young adulthood.
• Recognize factors that influence individual variations in physical, motor, cognitive, social, and emotional growth and development (e.g., heredity, nutrition, environment).
• Analyze significant developmental issues that affect growth and development during childhood and adolescence.
• Analyze the influence of peers, family, media, society, and culture on growth, development, and learning and on health fitness beliefs, values, and practices.
• Demonstrate knowledge of psychological, behavioral, and learning theories, models, and concepts (e.g., related to self-efficacy development, enjoyment principles, and the stages of change) that influence physical education and physical literacy.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles that physical activity and physical fitness play in enhancing learning and school success.
• Analyze how physical activity patterns are likely to change throughout life, implications of these changes, and strategies to address these changes.
• Understand the role of physical education in the schoolwide curriculum and in preparing students for college and careers in the physical activity promotion, education, health, fitness, recreation, and sports fields.

Competency 0011–Understand how children and adolescents learn and how to provide them with opportunities that support their psychomotor, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

For example:

• Recognize key concepts, perspectives, issues, goals, and purposes associated with student-centered physical education programs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of differentiated instruction and developmentally appropriate learning experiences that support students' psychomotor, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the cognitive dimensions of physical activity and ways to foster interdisciplinary connections and critical-thinking, decision-making, goal-setting, and problem-solving skills in the context of physical education.
• Apply knowledge of effective communication techniques that demonstrate sensitivity to student differences, encourage student communication, and foster student engagement in the physical education environment.
• Recognize ways in which students differ in their approaches to learning and appropriate teaching strategies and resources, including technology, for addressing diverse learning preferences.
• Apply knowledge of principles and strategies for managing and motivating students in physical education settings (e.g., supervision, active learning, effective transitions, appropriate feedback).

Competency 0012–Understand the relationship between physical activity and the development of responsible personal and social behaviors and traits.

For example:

• Analyze the relationship between physical activity and the development of positive self-concept, mental and emotional well-being, and enhanced self-management skills.
• Apply knowledge of how physical activities help develop positive personal behaviors and traits (e.g., self-control, responsibility, confidence, honesty).
• Apply knowledge of how physical activities help develop positive social behaviors and traits (e.g., leadership, teamwork, sportsmanship, cooperation, fairness, support).
• Analyze the role of rules, etiquette, and safety in the development of personal and social responsibility.
• Recognize strategies for including students of diverse backgrounds and abilities in physical activities and ways in which inclusion promotes respect, acceptance, tolerance, and sensitivity to and appreciation of diversity.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how participation in group and team physical activities helps promote students' conflict-management and resolution skills.
• Demonstrate understanding of how physical activities offer opportunities for personal challenge, satisfaction, competition, social interaction, cultural awareness, and healthy alternatives to risky behaviors.

Competency 0013–Understand physical education instruction and assessment, including how to adapt instruction and assessment for students with diverse learning needs.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of how to design and implement physical education learning experiences that are based on principles of effective instruction, best practices, curriculum outcomes and expectations, and state and national standards.
• Analyze activities, lesson plans, instructional resources, technology, and curriculum materials in terms of developmental appropriateness, comprehensiveness, usefulness, and safety.
• Recognize appropriate instructional approaches and learning experiences for students with a variety of learning needs, including students from various cultural or linguistic backgrounds.
• Apply knowledge of strategies and techniques for adapting and modifying rules, equipment, settings, activities, and organizational strategies for students with exceptionalities.
• Apply knowledge of principles and practices for creating accommodations and variations in classroom procedures, games, and physical activities to help ensure the motivation, progress, and inclusion of all students.
• Demonstrate knowledge of types and characteristics of formal and informal physical education assessment strategies and instruments and criteria, rationales, and techniques for selecting and using various assessment strategies and instruments.
• Apply knowledge of principles and strategies for using assessment information and performance data to document progress, evaluate instruction, and make data-driven program decisions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for involving students in self-assessment and for interpreting and communicating assessment information to foster students' physical literacy skills, psychomotor development, and physical activity behaviors.

Competency 0014–Understand ethical, legal, professional, and safety guidelines and practices in physical education.

For example:

• Demonstrate knowledge of professional codes of conduct, ethical standards, and professional requirements and responsibilities associated with physical education.
• Demonstrate knowledge of state and federal laws and guidelines related to special education, equity, inclusion, privacy, and other rights and responsibilities in relation to physical activity.
• Apply knowledge of strategies and resources for communicating and collaborating with parents/guardians, colleagues, community members, and business and professional organizations to promote, enhance, and advocate for physical education.
• Recognize appropriate principles and practices related to the selection, care, maintenance, and use of physical education equipment, facilities, materials, media, staff, and technology.
• Analyze principles, techniques, issues, and considerations related to establishing and maintaining a safe physical education environment.
• Recognize types and characteristics of injuries and medical conditions that can occur during physical activities and principles and procedures associated with injury prevention, basic first aid, and emergency medical care.

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