Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Kinesiology Departments

Authors

  • Colin G. Pennington Randolph College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/TPE-2023-V80-I4-11403

Abstract

While kinesiology as a field and as an academic major has evolved and diversified considerably over the last several decades, the cultural and racial demographics of kinesiology majors has remained fairly similar to the demographic characteristics of the early 2000s and before. There is incongruence between the actual diversity of the American population and the diversity of the population in American higher education. This disparate status further extends to kinesiology programs and subsequent subdisciplines. While the responsible systemic racial and cultural variables are worthy to be considered, examined, and corrected, this article does not drill into such constructs. Instead, this article identifies the barriers and facilitators of cultural and racial demographics as expressed by kinesiology majors and kinesiology-related professionals in higher education kinesiology programs and the allied health professions. This article discusses the importance of actively promoting kinesiology to diverse populations in the community. It amplifies the message of many scholars calling attention to a lack of diversity, as well as promotes selected effective strategies being initialized in kinesiology departments and among the allied health professions.

Author Biography

Colin G. Pennington, Randolph College

Assistant Professor, Department of Sport & Exercise Studies

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5002-8197

References

Awaya, A., McEwan, H., Heyler, D., Linsky, S., Lum, D., & Wakukawa, P. (2003). Mentoring as a journey. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00093-8

Baldwin, A., Woods, K., & Simmons, M. C. (2006). Diversity of the allied health workforce: The unmet challenge. Journal of Allied Health, 35(2), 116–120.

Barfield, J. P., Cobler, D. C., Lam, E. T., Zhang, J., & Chitiyo, G. (2012). Differences between African-American and Caucasian students on enrollment influences and barriers in kinesiology-based allied health education programs. Advances in Physiology Education, 36(2), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00129.2011

Bradburn, E. M., & Sikora, A. C. (2002). Gender and racial/ethnic differences in salary and other characteristics of postsecondary faculty: Fall 1998—Statistical analysis report (NCES 2002–170). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

Brown, D. J., DeCorse-Johnson, A. L., Irving-Ray, M., & Wu, W. W. (2005). Performance evaluation for diversity programs. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 6(4), 331–334. https://doi.org/10. 1177/1527154405283380

Bulger, S., Braga, L., DiGiacinto, K., & Jones, E. M. (2016). Student recruitment and retention efforts in PETE: Cloudy skies or silver linings. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 87(8), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2016.1216485

Campbell, C. D. (2007). Best practices for student-faculty mentoring. In T. D. Allen & L. T. Eby (Eds.), The Blackwell handbook of mentoring: A multiple perspectives approach (pp. 325–343). Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470691960.ch20

Chester, A., Burton, L. J., Xenos, S., & Elgar, K. (2013). Peer mentoring: Supporting successful transition for first year undergraduate psychology students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 65(1), 30–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12006

Clouten, N., Homma, M., Clouten, N., Homma, M., Shimada, R., Clouten, N., Homma, M., & Shimada, R. (2006). Clinical education and cultural diversity in physical therapy: Clinical performance of minority student physical therapists and the expectations of clinical instructors. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 22(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593980500422404

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. (n.d.). Defining DEI. University of Iowa. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from https://diversity.uiowa.edu/

Donini-Lenhoff, F. G., & Brotherton, S. E. (2010). Racial-ethnic diversity in allied health: The continuing challenge. Journal of Allied Health, 39(2), 104–109.

Dunn, J. M. (2009). The times are a changing: Implications for kinesiology. Quest, 61(3), 269–277. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2009.10483615

Fassinger, R. E., & Hensler-McGinnis, N. F. (2005). Multicultural feminist mentoring as individual and small-group pedagogy. In C. Z. Enns & A. L. Sinacore (Eds.), Teaching and social justice: Integrating multicultural and feminist theories in the classroom (pp. 143–161). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10929-009

Ford Foundation. (2020). Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Annual report 2020. https://www.fordfoundation.org/about/people/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/

Gehrke, N. (1988). Toward a definition of mentoring. Theory Into Practice, 27(3), 190–194. https://doi.org/10.1080/0040584 8809543350

Geisler, P. R. (2003). Multiculturalism and athletic training education: Implications for educational and professional progress. Journal of Athletic Training, 38(2), 141–151.

Hodge, S. R., & Wiggins, D. K. (2010). The African American experience in physical education and kinesiology: Plight, pitfalls, and possibilities. Quest, 62(1), 35–60. https://doi.org/10.1123/krj.2.3.156

Kahu, E. R. (2013). Framing student engagement in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 38(5), 758–773. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.598505

Kerby, M. B. (2015). Toward a new predictive model of student retention in higher education: An application of classical sociological theory. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, & Practice, 17(2), 138–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115578229

Long, J. (1997). The dark side of mentoring. Australian Educational Research, 24, 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03219650

Loria, K. (2021, February 1). Diversity, equity and inclusion in physical therapy. American Physical Therapy Association Magazine, 2021, 22–31.

Neilson, G. R., & Lauder, W. (2008). What do high academic achieving school pupils really think about a career in nursing: Analysis of the narrative from paradigmatic case interviews. Nurse Education Today, 28(6), 680–690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2008.03.008

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. (n.d.). Defining diversity, equity, and inclusion. University of Michigan. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from https://diversity.umich.edu/about/defining-dei/

O’Neil, K., & Richards, K. A. R. (2018). Breaking from traditionalism: Strategies for the recruitment of physical education teachers. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 89(2), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2017.1404511

Palumbo, M. V., Rambur, B., McIntosh, B., & Naud, S. (2008). Perceptions of an ideal career versus perceptions of six health careers. Journal of Allied Health, 37(1), 8–16.

Pennington, C. G. (2021). The transition into professorship: Beyond the three-phase approach to socialization. The Physical Educator, 78(1), 43–60. https://doi.org/10.18666/TPE-2021-V78-I1-10190

Perrin, D. H. (2000). Promoting diversity in athletic training. Journal of Athletic Training, 35(2), 131.

Richards, K. A. R., Pennington, C. G., & Sinelnikov, O. A. (2019). Teacher socialization in physical education: A scoping review of literature. Kinesiology Review, 8(2), 86–99. https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2018-0003

Richards, K. A. R., Sinelnikov, O., Palmer, C., Pennington, C. G., McEntyre, K., Park, C. W., Starck, J., & Lynch, S. (2017). Doctoral students as mentors for preservice teachers. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 88(Suppl. 1), A144–A145. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2017.1295756

Richards, K. A. R., & Templin, T. J. (2019). Recruitment and retention in PETE: Foundations in occupational socialization theory. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 38(1), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.2018-0212

Smith, V. R. (2003). Recruitment and retention of African American and other multicultural physical educators. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance, 64(3), 66–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.1993.10606734

Snyder, T. D., Dillow, S. A., & Hoffman, C. M. (2009). Digest of Education Statistics, 2008 (NCES 2009–020). National Center for Education Statistics.

Spector, R. E. (2004). Cultural diversity in health and illness (6th ed). Pearson Education.

Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce. (2021). Missing persons: Minorities in the health professions. The Sullivan Commission.

Thomas, J. R. (2003). Preparing for faculty roles in discovery, learning, and engagement. Quest, 55(1), 4–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2003.10491784

Published

2023-07-25

Issue

Section

Articles