PEP 558
Adapted Physical Education National Standards Professional Preparation
Course Syllabus
New Mexico State University
College of Education ~ Distance Education Department
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Summer Semester (five weeks)
Fall Semester (ten weeks)
Professor: |
Scott J. Pedersen, Ph.D., CAPE |
E-mail: |
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Webpage: |
PEP 558 will be delivered online using NMSU's WebCT (http://salsa.nmsu.edu) e-learning tools.
Table of Contents
Catalog Description: (back)
This distance education course was designed to assist graduate students with their preparations for the Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS) examination by discussing and applying the APENS content using e-learning tools. These standards were developed by professionals in the field to ensure that physical education instruction for students with disabilities is provided by qualified physical education teachers.
Conceptual Framework: (back)
Knowledge developed in this web-based course will be constructed from the contributions of all of its causative members. Students are expected to contribute to the knowledge base by sharing their own past experiences in adapted physical education using the various e-learning tools. The summative goal of these activities is to foster self-directed online learning so PEP 558 students may strengthen their own understanding of the APENS.
The APENS will be divided into five Learning Modules:
Week 1 Learning Module 1: Teaching APE APENS: 7, 9, 10
Week 2 Learning Module 2: APE Job Responsibilities APENS: 11, 13, 15
Week 3 Learning Module 3: APE Assessment APENS: 4, 8, 12
Week 4 Learning Module 4: APE Law & Ethics APENS: 5, 14
Week 5 Learning Module 5: Connecting Science/Theory to Practice APENS: 1, 2, 3
*Standard 6 deals with specific disabilities and will be infused throughout the term.
Course Objectives: (back)
- Students will strengthen their knowledge of adapted physical education by first understanding, and then applying the content of the APENS.
- Students will learn how to be vigilant internet navigators when searching for adapted physical education web-based resources.
Course Requirements: (back)
APENS Manual = $29
Kelly, L. (2006). Adapted Physical Education National Standards (2nd ed). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
- PEP 558 students are required to purchase this manual AND encouraged to begin reviewing its content before the first day of class.
APENS Exam Fee = $150
- This fee is to be paid at the conclusion of the course, once students have scheduled to take the APENS exam in their home town.
Computer Requirements: (back)
Basic computer skills are essential for this online course. For example, students should have familiarity with accessing the World Wide Web, using email, downloading browser plug-ins, and accessing the WebCT e-learning tools.
- Students will need to download an Adobe Acrobat Reader (http://www.adobe.com) to view the teaching materials.
- Students will need to download Java Script Software (http://java.com/en) to use the WebCT chat tool.
- Students should have a recent version of MS Office (http://office.microsoft.com) to create files in Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.
- Students not familiar with WebCT should run the interactive WebCT tutorial. These interactive tutorials simulate many of the tasks students may be expected to perform while using WebCT version 4.1. If you are new to WebCT, you are encouraged to use this resource to become familiar with this e-learning system.
Student Responsibilities: (back)
For this online course students will have Asynchronous and Synchronous responsibilities:
- Asynchronous assignments (6) are to be completed on your own time. These assignments will be released every Monday morning.
- Three asynchronous assignments will be released BEFORE the Thursday night APENS Student Chatroom.
- Three asynchronous assignments will be assigned AFTER the Thursday night APENS Student Chatroom.
- Synchronous assignments require MANDATORY online attendance.
- The only synchronous assignment is the APENS Student Chatroom, which will be every Thursday evening, 8:00 - 10:00 PM EST.
- If this time commitment is a problem for PEP 558 students it is the recommendation of the professor that these students officially withdraw from this course.
More specifically, each week PEP 558 students are expected to:
- prepare for the Learning Module by first reading the APENS manual
- review the documents in the Teaching Materials folder
- discuss their thoughts about the case study on the Case Study Discussion Board
- explore the web by completing the APE Webquest
- evaluate APE-related webpages using the APE Webpage Evaluation
- chat with fellow students and selected APE professional guests in the APENS Student Chatroom
- reflect on their chat experience by writing a Chatroom Reflection Paper
- quiz themselves for the APENS exam by answering questions from the APENS Self-Quiz
- critique the APENS Learning Module content using the Learning Module Student Survey
Learning Module Content: (possible points – may change during the semester) (back)
Teaching Materials: (not an assignment) (back)
The contents of this folder are provided to PEP 558 students as supplementary materials to the content of the APENS reviewed during each Learning Module.
The weekly case study is also located in this folder. This file should be reviewed immediately so students can participate in the Case Study Discussion Board.
Teaching Materials may include:
- MS Powerpoint Presentations (.ppt)
- Electronic Articles (.pdf)
- Starter Weblinks (.url)
- Supplemental Readings
- Disability Specific Fact Sheets (.pdf)
- provided by Anchorage School District Online
- review these files to facilitate your ability to incorporate elements of Standard 6 into your online responses
Although these materials are helpful for your review, they should be thought of as supplemental to the APENS manual, which is the basis for all course assignments.
Important!
Before the Learning Module is posted on Monday mornings, students should have read the APENS that will be covered in that Learning Module.
Case Study Discussion Board: (40 points) (back)
At the beginning of each learning module, a new case study will be included in the Teaching Materials folder. Students should read this document and make contributions to the questions posted on the Case Study Discussion Board.
The purpose of this activity is to provide the class with “real life” situations in APE and then discuss appropriate behaviors or “best practice” strategies for the scenarios depicted. Students will be graded on the quality and quantity of their responses. A rubric is provided to help guide your discussion contributions.
APE Webquest: (30 points) (back)
APE Webquests are designed to demonstrate how the internet can facilitate the service delivery of physical education for individuals with disabilities. Downloading and uploading the APE Webquest files can be accessed through the Assignments folder. Students will be graded on the completeness of their responses. Points will be awarded on a question to question basis. Extra credit points can be earned by contributing to the class knowledge base.
Self-directed learning will be an important attribute for this assignment. Links are provided within the Webquest to help guide the student to new knowledge. The APE Webquest questions are only meant to guide your “internet surfing.” Use these assignments as a springboard to your own self-discovery of some valuable APE web-based resources.
Students are encouraged to allow time (at least 30 minutes) for surfing the web for APE related information each time they sit down at the computer.
APE Webpage Evaluation: (30 points) (back)
The World Wide Web is ever-expanding and there is a lot of disability related information on it. Using the APE Webpage Evaluation e-learning tool students will learn how to evaluate webpages related to their “user-friendliness” among other important attributes of a well-designed webpage. Students will earn points for completing the(se) survey(s) each week.
Pick your webpages carefully; this e-learning activity will conclude by having each student share their favorite APE webpage through a MS powerpoint presentation with the rest of the class.
APENS Student Chatroom: (300 points) (back)
PEP 558 students have the exclusive opportunity to chat about the APENS with adapted physical education professionals from around the country. These “guest bloggers” will be ready to discuss the week's topics/standards and answer any questions you might have about the exam or the APE service delivery in your school district.
To participate in the APENS Student Chatroom, PEP 558 students MUST be online (and prepared) by 8:00 PM EST on every Thursday evening of the semester.
Students will be graded on the quality and quantity of their responses. A rubric is provided to help guide your chatroom contributions.
*Note: Your computer must be Java script enabled to use the WebCT chatroom tool.
Chatroom Reflection Paper: (10 points) (back)
It is important to reflect on what was learned during the chatroom e-learning experience. Students should write a reflection paper discussing the value of the dialog that took place during this event. This paper will give students a chance to think critically about the common issues that surface when teaching physical education to individuals with disabilities. This course was designed to teach students how to self-direct their own learning. It is important for students to be able to demonstrate this in writing (e.g., how this online course has helped you become a better adapted physical educator).
Each paper will be graded according to the paper's content, organization, clarity, and how well directions were followed using the Chatroom Reflection Paper Rubric. This rubric is provided to help students formulate their responses.
APENS Self-Quiz: (45 points) (back)
A highlight of this professional preparation course is that students will be able to prepare for the APENS exam by quizzing themselves using test questions based on previous APENS exams. This short, fifteen question quiz allows students to test their APENS knowledge specific to the standards discussed in the Learning Module. Each correct answer is worth 3 points toward your Learning Module point total (max – 45 points).
Students may take the APENS Self-Quiz as often as they like after the conclusion of the APENS Student Chatroom (10:00 PM EST) and the end of the following week (Friday, 12:00 PM EST). Immediate feedback will be provided so students may learn from their mistakes. Score a 100% (45 points) by Friday evening, because at this time the quiz will be no longer available.
Learning Module Student Survey: (45 points) (back)
The goal of this course is to prepare students so they may pass the APENS exam. Self reflection on how each of the above Learning Module exercises has (not) helped with APENS exam preparation will help students get the most out of this online course. Feedback on how each of these online activities has/has not helped the student to prepare for this exam is also warranted by the professor. Your honest, constructive feedback is extremely valuable in helping make this course better for future adapted physical educators.
Every week a Learning Module Student Survey will be available to each student once s/he has completed the APENS Self-Quiz. A total of 45 points will be awarded to each student that completes this survey.
Course Evaluation: (back)
For each of the five Learning Modules students will accumulate points by contributing/responding to:
Pre-chatroom Assignments = total 100 points
- Case Study Discussion Board (40 points)
- APE Webquest Assignment (30 points)
- APE Webpage Evaluation (30 points)
APENS Student Chatroom = total 300 points
Post-chatroom Assignments = total 100 points
- APENS Self-Quiz (45 points)
- Learning Module Student Survey (45 points)
- Chatroom Reflection Paper (10 points)
Possible Points: Letter Grades:
Learning Module 1 = 500 points 2250-2500 points = A
Learning Module 2 = 500 points 2000-2249 points = B
Learning Module 3 = 500 points 1750-1999 points = C
Learning Module 4 = 500 points 1500-1749 points = D
Learning Module 5 = 500 points < 1499 points = F
2500 points
Abbreviated Course Policies: (back)
Attendance (Synchronous):
The unique nature of this online course only requires student attendance for the APENS Student Chatroom on every Thursday evening from 8:00-10:00 PM EST. If you know that you will not be available to participate in a synchronous chatroom exercise, it is your responsibility to notify the professor. This must be done prior to the date of the chatroom. Regardless of the excuse, students will lose all points for that chatroom exercise.
Policy on Asynchronous Assignments:
All student work must be “handed in” through the WebCT e-learning tools (i.e., discussion board tool, assignment tool, survey tool, quiz tool, and email tool) by the deadlines (date and time) listed in the syllabus to receive full credit. There will be no exceptions to this rule. Late work will not be accepted for any reason. Therefore, students need to plan ahead. The professor is not sympathetic to unfortunate, random situations such as "lack of computer access" and "dysfunctional equipment". A helpful practice is to try and have assignments completed the day before they are due. If a student does not feel confident about his/her written work, s/he should ask the professor for help prior to the due date.