TLC Hall of Fame
Penn State Intercom......March 14, 2002

Who: R. Scott Kretchmar, professor of sports science and interim head of kinesiology Began teaching at the University: 1984 Research interests: Philosophy of physical activity, values of being physically active and ethics of fair play, including an NCAA-funded study of the environmental conditions that put schools at high risk of NCAA violations. Teaching philosophy: "I use coaching as the best analogy for teaching activities; my role is to encourage, support, stimulate and help people reach higher than they could on their own." Honors and awards: Member of the American Academy of Physical Education, 1999 McKay Donkin Award Education: Doctoral degree, 1971, University of Southern California Family: Wife Janet, English teacher, daughter Jenny and son Matt, both University alumni Hobbies: Marathon running, toy trains, gardening

Professor improves teaching,
learning University-wide

By Celena E. Kusch
Teaching and Learning Consortium

R. Scott Kretchmar, professor of sports science and interim head of kinesiology, has been a major voice in University leadership for almost 20 years.

In 1985, he was elected to the University Faculty Senate. In 1996, he served as Senate chair. In 1999, he became the faculty athletics representative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Interestingly, many faculty members recognize Kretchmar best for his work in improving undergraduate education. In 1990, Kretchmar served as chair of the University-wide Joint Task Force on Undergraduate Education and earlier led the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Instruction. The efforts of these groups reinvigorated the University's commitment to good teaching and put forth a new vision of student learning.

Kretchmar now is being honored with the Teaching and Learning Consortium's Teaching and Learning Hall of Fame Award.

John Cahir, vice provost and dean for undergraduate education, called Kretchmar one of the University's leaders.

"Scott has played a tremendous leadership role in turning the thinking of the faculty, and of the University in general, away from the notion that the discussion about general education is merely about what courses students should study. Scott encouraged the faculty to focus much more on the nature of the learning process and to look at general education in terms of what learning habits students should develop and what they should take away from the learning process," Cahir said.

Cahir noted, "Much of Scott's thinking about undergraduate education came directly from his work in kinesiology and the philosophy of movement where there is an emphasis on learning by doing and by solving problems. His thinking also is based in his appreciation of the value of a broad education."

Kretchmar's research is in the area of "the mind-body problem and how intelligence shows up in nonverbal ways."

"We often associate intelligence exclusively with numbers and words, but there are other forms of intelligence expressed in the ways we interact creatively with our world through movement," he said. "Thinking does not happen only when we are sitting still."

Active learning important

Kretchmar acknowledged the importance of active learning models in his thinking about broader undergraduate experiences.

"In the past few years we have gained a better appreciation for academic growth involving combining knowledge and application. We have achieved a better understanding of the habits and skills side of learning. We are no longer comfortable just giving understanding to students. Habits and skills appear with repetition, projects and doing," Kretchmar said.

That shift in thinking has led to significant changes in undergraduate education, Cahir explained. The University has increased its attention to assessing the learning process and learning outcomes; the Faculty-Senate has adopted and distributed the principles for Promoting a Vibrant Learning Environment; and the University has adopted the first-year seminar model for engaging students in active learning early in their academic careers.

"These outcomes came directly out of Scott's efforts, and he was one of the driving forces of this effort," Cahir said. "If you look at lists of groups and committees that have made a difference in undergraduate education, you frequently will find his name there as one of the contributors and collaborators. Scott is a terrific role model for anyone who wants to be effective in University leadership."

Kretchmar also is committed to balancing his leadership efforts with his other faculty responsibilities. Kretchmar, who edits Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, also teaches ethics and philosophy classes with as many as 140 students each.

Even in large classes, Kretchmar achieves active student learning.

"I teach in a traditional theory setting, but I have always had a dialogical style, focused on discussion and debate," he explained. "Students need repetition to change behavior and practice skills, so we use techniques developed by Larry Michaelson of the University of Oklahoma. Michaelson's Readiness Assessment Tests encourage students to think on their own and come up with their own arguments."

Assessment system

In the assessment test system, students read course materials on their own and complete a test at the beginning of each unit to assess their own understanding of content. Sandy Bargainnier, instructor of kinesiology and member of the Teaching and Learning Consortium, worked with Kretchmar to implement the system in his classes.

According to Kretchmar, this system facilitates greater student engagement with the materials. "Studies show that less than half of students will do the reading before they have to. Most wait to hear what the professor will tell them about the content and then cram before the test. By holding them accountable for their own reading and preparation, they must develop and rely on their own intelligence," he said.

"Ultimately learning comes down to a matter of practice," Kretchmar continued. "You can't just impart knowledge to people; you must enrich student activity by offering them new occasions to fight with the ideas, and you must expect high levels of achievement."

In Kretchmar's classes, students first read and complete an individual test. Next, they complete the same test collaboratively in a small group. Then, student groups have the opportunity to challenge the answers through debate. At the end of the challenge, Kretchmar steps in as a coach to conduct discussions, offer his own arguments or bring in practitioners to offer their perspectives. Finally, students complete an in-class group project, where they work together to respond to a real world problem, such as a rehabilitation setting or a coaching dilemma.

Kretchmar finds this method works well to build the critical thinking skills necessary to master philosophy and ethics.

"Philosophy is a very complex matter," he said. "My goal is to disturb the students, to bother them about common values people hold and the decisions they make. I want my students to realize that lock-step kinds of information are not going to be sufficient. Professionals can't just turn off their minds and go about their jobs. All of the science our students receive is great, but they will be dealing with human beings and emotions. Professionals in kinesiology can't just be clinical and know the physiology; they have to think about the person."

Better method

Kretchmar admitted his methods can be tough on students who expect teaching to mean lecturing. "But when you look at the open-ended questions in the class evaluations," he continued, "the students report that their groups are extremely functional, they learn effectively about cooperation and group problem-solving. They say, 'This is better. I'm learning more.'"

Jennifer Prior, a former student of Kretchmar's and later an undergraduate teaching assistant for his class, agreed.

"My classes with Scott Kretchmar and Sandy Bargainnier have been my best experiences at Penn State," Prior commented. "As a TA, I could see the discussions start to get more intelligent, and students start to relate back to content covered earlier in the semester. Even those students who didn't like his arguments said they were challenged, and I think they learned a lot. He has high expectations of the students and he honestly wants to help them reach those expectations."

Prior is a kinesiology major in the Schreyer Honors College and is currently student teaching in health and physical education.

"Dr. Kretchmar pushes students to disagree with him, to argue with him," she added, "but because he's a philosopher, students have to have solid arguments. By the end of the semester, the students are mimicking the argument structure he uses."

Celena E. Kusch can be reached at cxk33@psu.edu.

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