Dating back to the 19th century, the term “physical education” was widely recognized as the umbrella term for the field. Over time and through much debate and discussion (CitationBrassie & Razor, 1989; CitationNewell, 1990), physical education began to organize itself as an academic discipline comprising multiple subdisciplines and an increasing array of areas of practice (CitationHenry, 1964). While there is no world-wide consensus on the name of the discipline, in the United States “kinesiology” has been advanced by leading organizations such as the National Academy of Kinesiology, the American Kinesiology Association, and the National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education, among others, as the consensus name for the academic discipline (CitationMorrow & Thomas, 2010; CitationNewell, 1990; CitationRikli, 2006; CitationThomas, 2014; CitationThomas et al., 2007; CitationUlrich & Feltz, 2016). The CitationNational Research Council (2006) also has recognized the discipline by the name of kinesiology. Regardless, multiple names and name combinations continue to exist both domestically and internationally (CitationSchary & Cardinal, 2015).
In this Viewpoint the authors are proposing “physical activity education” as a school subject matter name and possibly a subdisciplinary name, not an overarching disciplinary name. Toward that end, the JOPERD Editorial Board sees this as a separate issue from the decades-old debate about the name of the academic discipline.
References
- Brassie, P. S., & Razor, J. E. (1989). HPER unit names in higher education: A view toward the future. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 60(7), 33–40.
- Henry, F. (1964). Physical education: An academic discipline. Journal of Health, Physical Education & Recreation, 35, 32–35, 69.
- Morrow, J. R., Jr., & Thomas, J. R. (2010). American Kinesiology Association: A national effort to promote kinesiology. Quest, 62, 106–110.
- National Research Council. (2006, July 31). Taxonomy of fields and their subfields. Retrieved from http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/resdoc/pga_044522
- Newell, K. M. (1990). Kinesiology: The label for the study of physical activity in higher education. Quest, 42, 269–278.
- Rikli, R. E. (2006). Kinesiology — A “homeless” field: Addressing organizational and leadership needs. Quest, 58, 287–309.
- Schary, D. P., & Cardinal, B. J. (2015). Kinesiology, sport, etc.: International diversity of department and college names. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 86(Suppl. 2), A102.
- Thomas, J. R. (2014). The public face of kinesiology in the 21st century. Quest, 66, 313–321.
- Thomas, J. R., Clark, J. E., Feltz, D. L., Kretchmar, R. S., Morrow, J. R., Reeve, T. G., & Wade, M. G. (2007). The academy promotes, unifies, and evaluates doctoral education in kinesiology. Quest, 59, 174–194.
- Ulrich, B. D., & Feltz, D. L. (2016). The National Academy of Kinesiology 2015 review and evaluation of doctoral programs in kinesiology. Kinesiology Review, 5, 101–118.