Research On The Development History Of Physical Education In Higher Education In The United States

This study uses the literature data method,case analysis method,expert interview method,comparative method,and logical analysis to study the development of physical education in higher education in the United States from a historical perspective,and deeply analyze the evolution of the development of physical education in higher education in the United States,horizontally analyze the development of higher education institutions,objectives,entry requirements,major settings,curriculum,faculty status and student situation in each historical stage,and track the changes in the history and explore important events and main factors which influenced the development of physical education in higher education in the United States,summarizing the development experience and lessons of physical education in higher education in the United States,provides useful enlightenment for the development and reform of physical education in higher education in China.The development of physical education in higher education in the United States is divided into five stages.The first stage is the burgeoning period of higher physical education in the United States(1861-1900).The institutions were mainly private schools,which had not yet reached the university level.The curriculum types were simple.The theoretical courses were mainly medical or biological science courses,while the activity courses were mainly some kinds of gymnastics.Most of the teachers had medical background and the scale of teachers and students was small.The second stage is the period of rapid development of physical education in higher education in the United States(1900-1930).The institutions had gradually reached the university level,and the school-running level had been upgraded.The talent training system of bachelor's degree,master's degree and doctor's degree had been preliminarily formed.The scope of majors had been expanded,the types of courses had been diversified,the “new physical education” had replaced the gymnastics system,the study period had been extended,the teachers' academic level had been improved,and the leaders had been transformed from doctors to physical educators.The third stage is the period of professional development of physical education in higher education in the United States(1930-1960).The early private schools of physical education had all completed the transformation through closing,upgrading or merging into colleges or universities.The colleges and universities had become the main force of the professional preparation of physical education.The majors' scope had been further expanded.The programs and courses had improved their standardization,the study period had lengthend to four or five years,the scale of faculty expanded,and their degree tranformed from the medical doctor to the doctor of philosophy.The fourth stage is the stage of the academic discipline development of physical education in higher education in the United States(1960-1990).The number of the institution was of a large scale,and its male and female departments were merged;The management of majors began to standardize,the quality of majors began to improve through certification and accreditation;The curriculum continued to develop their standardization and paid more attention to be scientific;With the increase of the scale of teachers and students,the distribution of major structure showed a trend of differentiation.The fifth stage is the period of unified name of physical education in higher education in the United States(1990-2020).The scale of institutions continued to expand,forming a more mature and perfect higher physical education system;Major setting and management became more standardized;Identify the core curriculum of kinesiology,which focus on physical activity and health;The scale of students had been expanded,but the faculty became insufficient,students' career interests shift to health area.The development of physical education in higher education in the United States was influenced by the social environment,federal and state policies and legislation,organizational associations and pioneer leaders in physical education.Its development experience included learning from European and innovation by themselves,strive for government legislative and policy support,attach importance to scientific research and the establishment of knowledge system,obtain the help of organizations and adapt to the development and needs of society.The lessons learned from the development of physical education in higher education in the United States are that the instability of the source of funds for running schools has led to changes in institutions and programs;the division and outflow of programs have weakened the overall competitiveness of physical education;and the adverse impact of the development in the field of health for physical education in higher education.The enlightenment of the development history of American physical education in higher education to the development of higher physical education in our country is to improve the level of scientific research and development in the field of physical education;the support of national policies,legislation and finance is the guarantee of the steady development of higher physical education;the promotion of organizations,associations and conferences;the promotion of cohesion and integration in the field of physical education;the cultivation of innovative leaders and talents and the formation of higher physical education system with Chinese characteristics.