Episode 41: Episode 41: Educational Policy Analysis in K-12 Physical Education

In today’s episode we will be discussing educational policy and its nuances in the U.S. across all States. Our guests today include, Dr. Ben Kern - an Associate Professor in PETE in the College of Health Sciences, Kinesiology, and Health at the University of Wyoming. Dr. Kern is a national leader in physical education policy research. He currently leads the School Health Map and facilitated the development of the State of the States Policy Report. Dr. Kern is focused on policy implementation and advocacy to strengthen physical education and physical activity nationwide in schools. Dr. Kern has also established a unique line of inquiry that investigates the individual dispositions of physical education teachers and related socializing agents that impact their adoption of teaching practices consistent with promoting student physical literacy. Our next guest is Dr. Lisa Paulson is an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She currently serves as chair of the SHAPE America Physical Activity Council and co-chair of the SHAPE America PETE Standards Task Force. Her scholarship focuses on physical education policy work and school-based physical activity promotion. Originally from The Netherlands, our final guest is Hans van der Mars (Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 1984) is Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University where he oversaw the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degree programs in Physical Education Teacher Education/Sport Pedagogy. Dr. van der Mars is widely published, (co-) and authoring over 170 published research papers, professional papers, book chapters, proceedings papers, and three textbooks. He presents frequently at international, national, regional and state level conferences. Moreover, he has provided over 85 continuing professional development/outreach workshops and guest lectures for K-12 physical educators, teachers, graduate students, and colleagues nationally and internationally. Over Dr. van der Mars illustrious career, he has represented the physical education profession in various capacities of leadership, scholarship, and service. Far too extensive to share today, but some examples include: Research Fellow distinction in the Society of Physical and Health Educators of America (2005), the American Academy of Kinesiology & Physical Education (2006), the North American Society of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance Professionals (2009), the International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education (AIESEP, 2019), and National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE 2021 ). Hans has also been recognized with the following honors: the National Association for Sport & Physical Education’s (NASPE) Physical Education Teacher Education Honor Award (2011) and the Curriculum & Instruction Academy Honor Award (2013). In 2018, he was inducted into the SHAPE America Hall of Fame. In 2020, the National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE) recognized him with the Distinguished Scholar Award . In 2021, The Ohio State University’s College of Education and Human Ecology presented him with its Alumni Career Achievement Award , while SHAPE America recognized him with the Luther Halsey Gulick Award in 2023. And in 2024, he received the White House Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.

You can listen to Episode 41: Episode 41: Educational Policy Analysis in K-12 Physical Education online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 41: Episode 41: Educational Policy Analysis in K-12 Physical Education is an episode from A-Z Health and PE Presented by NYS AHPERD.

This episode is 64:51 long.

This episode was published on Mar 2, 2026.

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