SHAPE America Distinguished Lecture Series

Each year, the Distinguished Lecture Series is one of the highlights of the extensive research program at SHAPE America's National Convention & Expo. Each of the four lectures provides the opportunity for in-depth coverage of a relevant topic, as well as formal peer recognition of outstanding scholars and leaders in the field.

View the #SHAPEBaltimore final program for the location of each lecture.

Daryl Siedentop Scholar Lecture

The Daryl Siedentop Scholar Lecture is presented in recognition of research/creative activities which enrich the depth and scope of health, leisure, sport, dance and related activities.

Hans van der Mars Headshot

From Games to Sport to Industrialized Sport to Hyper-Industrialized Sport: Implications for Physical Education

Wednesday, April 2 | 8- 9 a.m.

Sport as a social and cultural institution has evolved in unthinkable ways a few decades ago. I offer a review of its evolution and related problems. The problems surrounding sport have made it an easy target for physical education and blame it for much of its ills, especially in secondary school programs. This blame is misguided and largely without basis. There are other evidence-based core reasons for what ails school physical education. Therefore, sport, if delivered with evidence-based strategies, can help reach the field's desired outcomes across multiple domains.

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. He is widely published, (co-)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 education teachers, graduate students, and colleagues nationally and internationally.

Dr. van der Mars served as co-editor for the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education (JTPE) (1998-2002) and has served as reviewer for 18 national and international research and professional journals. He is a Research Fellow 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). Examples of leadership positions include serving on the SHAPE America Board of Directors (2015-2017), and the President's Council on Fitness, Sport, and Nutrition Science Board (PSFSN) (2011-2014).

Since 2013, he has served on the Physical Activity Alliance's Education Sector Committee for the National Physical Activity Plan. Additional examples of professional service include serving on Arizona Health & Physical Education Board of Directors (2010-2018), Southwest District Board of AAHPERD (2013-2015), Beginning Teacher Standards Revision Task Force for AAHPERD/SHAPE America (2013-2016), AAHPERD's Research Consortium Board (2006-2008), and SHAPE America's Research Council (2016-2018).

Previously, Dr. van der Mars was recognized with 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.

C. H. McCloy Research Lecture

The C. H. McCloy Memorial Lecture provides for in-depth coverage of a research topic and an opportunity to give formal peer recognition to persons who have made outstanding contributions to HPERD through their research efforts. The lecture also provides a form of continuing recognition for Charles H. McCloy, one of the great pioneer scientists and leaders of the profession. The C. H. McCloy Research Lecture was inaugurated at the 1980 National Convention and Exposition.

Phillip Ward Headshot

Chasing Bloom’s Two Sigma Problem: What A Difference an Effective Teacher Can Make

Wednesday, April 2 | 4:30- 5:30 p.m.

In 1979, Bloom followed studies where tutoring in math one-on-one created learning gains that exceed two standard deviations (sigma) compared to group instruction on the same content. His two sigma problem challenged researchers to find ways that would make group instruction produce the same outcomes of tutoring. Teacher effectiveness measured in terms of student learning has been at the forefront of education reform since at least the 1960s. Since then, research in education has generally shown that student learning as a product of the professional development of their teachers is less common than we would like. While there are a variety of approaches to professional development, few include measures of student learning. Recently, studies of content knowledge in physical education have met the two-sigma criterion. In this presentation, I discuss the studies, findings and features from these studies that characterize the effective professional development that results in changes in preservice and in-service teacher behavior and in turn, gains in student learning.

Dr. Phillip Ward is a Professor of Kinesiology at The Ohio State University. He teaches and studies physical education and teacher professional development in both preservice and continuing education contexts. He is the director of the Learning to Teach Physical Education Research Programthat has as its central focus the development of teaching effectiveness in physical education.

Dr Ward has conducted more than 200 workshops for teachers. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 research papers and book chapters, seven books and has presented over 200 papers. His work has influenced teaching standards in the United States and in other countries. Dr Ward has received 15 university, national and international awards for teaching, research, and service. He leads or works with research teams Belgium, China, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, and the  United States. He has given keynote or invited talks in Belgium, China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Türkiye, and the U.S. He reviews for 16 journals, serves on the editorial board of QUEST and JTPE,  and is a Research Fellow of SHAPE America, the National Academy of Kinesiology, and North American Society for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, & Dance. He has graduated more than 200 master’s students and advises/advised 26 doctoral students. He is ranked by Stanford University as among the world’s top 2% of scientists.

Raymond A. Weiss Lecture

The purpose of the Raymond A. Weiss Lecture is to support a scholarly presentation by an individual in the arts and sciences who is an outstanding leader and who has made an important contribution to his or her field, and who has ties to one or more of the fields of HPERD.

Matthew Curtner Headshot

A 35-Year Program of Socialization Research: Key Findings and Ideas for Future Study

Thursday, April 3 | 2-3 p.m.

During this lecture, Dr. Curtner-Smith will present some of the key findings from the 35 years spent studying the occupational socialization of teachers, faculty members, and other types of instructors in the field of sport pedagogy. In addition, he will present ideas for future occupational socialization research.

Matthew Curtner-Smith is Professor Emeritus of Sport Pedagogy at the University of Alabama. He taught in the undergraduate PETE and graduate sport pedagogy programs at UA for 33 years before retiring on September 1, 2024. He has conducted research on physical education teaching, teacher education, curriculum, and teachers. The bulk of his research, however, has been concerned with the occupational socialization of physical education teachers, coaches, and sport pedagogy faculty. His various accolades include being listed in the top 2% of cited researchers across disciplines; winning the SHAPE America Southern District Scholar award and the PESP paper of the year award with Shrehan Lynch; and being named as the Paul W. Bryant Endowed Professor for Research in the College of Education at the University of Alabama.

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Lecture

Established in 2006, the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Lecture provides for in-depth coverage of a research topic and an opportunity to give formal peer recognition to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the research represented in the sections of the RQES.

Nancy Getchell Headshot

How It Started vs. How It’s Going: My Developmental Research Career

Friday, April 4 | 8-9 a.m.

This research presentation explores the evolution of Dr. Getchell's research line in motor development over her 40-year career, starting with her early research in the development of coordination and control using a dynamic systems lens, through her current research using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to examine brain/body connections in motor development and learning. This research offers valuable implications for educators, clinicians, and parents focused on promoting healthy motor development in children and adults with and without disabilities.

Dr. Nancy Getchell is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology at the University of Delaware. She earned her Ph.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1996. Dr. Getchell's research focuses on the development of neuromotor coordination and control across the lifespan, particularly in children with and without disabilities. She has investigated motor control changes in typically developing individuals and those with motor deficits, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and specific learning disabilities. Her current work utilizes functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to study developmental and learned changes in cortical activity.

In addition to her research, Dr. Getchell is a co-author of a leading textbook on motor development. Dr. Getchell leads the Developmental Motor Control Research Laboratory at the University of Delaware, mentoring graduate students and collaborating with researchers globally.  Her work has significantly advanced the understanding of motor development and coordination, influencing both academic research and practical applications in physical activity and rehabilitation.