| 2006 C.H. McCloy Lecturer, Catherine D. Ennis, is a professor of kinesiology and curriculum and instruction in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland-College Park. Her research focuses on curriculum theory and development in physical education with specific applications to urban school settings. In this 27th annual C.H. McCloy Lecture, Dr. Ennis will describe how curriculum research examines the age-old educational question: “What knowledge is of most value for these students in this setting?” Responses to this question vary based on the curriculum developers’ and teachers' background and beliefs, learner characteristics, the nature of the content, and the opportunities or constraints inherent in the setting. These diverse perspectives and conditions lead to a wide range of physical activity programs that can contribute to student learning. The focus of Dr. Ennis’ presentation is curriculum research to examine program characteristics that increase student learning.
Dr. Ennis has published over 50 refereed research articles, has made over 100 presentations, and has co-authored two books, The Curriculum Process in Physical Education (1995, Brown & Benchmark) and Student Learning in Physical Education: Applying Research to Enhance Instruction (2003, 2nd edition, Human Kinetics). She is a former pedagogy section editor for Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport and is currently a member of the Editorial Boards for the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, Sport, Education, and Society, and Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. Dr. Ennis is an elected Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education and is a Fellow in the Research Consortium of AAHPERD. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and has been extensively involved in a wide range of professional service efforts including chairing NASPE’s Curriculum and Instruction Academy and chairing the American Educational Research Association’s Special Interest Group on Research on Learning and Instruction in Physical Education. Dr. Ennis also currently serves as the principal investigator on a 3 year, $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, to design, implement, and evaluate a science-based physical education program for 3rd-5th grade students. |