Background/Purpose: Despite the profound and widespread concern for the future of the academic discipline of kinesiology, and more specifically physical education pedagogy, there has been little systematic study on the topic (Dunn, 2009; Kirk, 2010).
Method: This research sought both American and international (n=5) experts' opinions on the possible, probable, preferable and undesirable futures of the academic discipline. Utilizing a two-round interview Delphi method, participants were asked to project 15 years into the future regarding the undergraduate degree program curricula and location, as well as the focus, name, organizational framework and profession-discipline relationship of the academic discipline.
Analysis/Results: Data was content analyzed to determine patterns and themes (Patton, 2002). Experts agree a preferable future includes: a focus on physical activity; faculty members with the interest, intellect and education to discuss and deal with the field's issues; consensus over the field's undergraduate and professional degree program curricula; kinesiology as the name of academic units and the discipline; and lastly, to no longer have a profession versus discipline distinction.
Conclusions: Experts indicate that achieving preferable scenarios requires a realization that issues are endemic in any academic discipline, and therefore the emphasis should not necessarily be on debating the issues at large, but rather organization at the institutional level. More specifically, this involves emphasis on strategic leadership, quality doctoral preparation addressing the field's issues, and awareness and understanding of the particular local, geographical, and institutional constraints. Expert advice on how to operationalize a preferable future will be presented.