Recommendations for the future of physical education: A Delphi study

The purpose of this study is to find out what thirty different professionals believe should be included in a high school Physical Education Program to lead to lifelong fitness behaviors. A three round Delphi questionnaire was distributed to obtain consensus from a panel of thirty experts in fields directly relating to physical education. The results from this study provided a list of Components and Issues that revealed an interesting array of ideas that, if implemented, could provide the first steps in improving lifelong fitness behaviors for all people. There was a consensus that curricula should emphasize life-time activities and fitness/wellness so that students would gain knowledge of total well-being. The literature likewise endorses the prescription of this kind of "active lifestyle." Experts in the Delphi survey recommended instructional class time that explains the necessity of lifelong fitness behaviors. A consensus also was formulated about providing curricula that includes lifelong fitness. The final analysis of data resulted in a consensus-based list of components of a first-rate high school level physical education program that promotes lifelong fitness behaviors and the critical issues facing the implementation of such a program. With the identification of the important components and issues, conceivably a clear path for transformation could materialize to help improve the lack of lifelong fitness activities being taught at the secondary level in physical education.