Professor
Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
R3T 2N2
E-mail: jane.watkinson@ad.umanitoba.ca

Education:

• PhD Michigan State University 1977
• MA University of Western Ontario 1971
• BPE McMaster University 1970
• BA (French) McMaster University 1970

Professional Experience:

Dr. Watkinson held administrative positions as Associate Dean Academic, Associate Dean Research, and Chair in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta from 1988 - 2007.

Research Interests:

Dr. Watkinson’s research focuses on the participation of children in playful physical activity, especially those with disability or movement difficulty. With an overall goal of understanding the factors that contribute to the inclusion of all children in opportunities for physical play, her research program has explored the role of movement competence, perceptions of self and perceptions of the activity ‘climate’ in children’s decisions to participate on the playground. Most recently, Dr. Watkinson and her students have developed protocols for the identification of children who are not taking part in recess activity and for the subsequent assessment of playground movement competence. This work has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Recent Publications:

Spencer-Cavaliere, N., & Watkinson, E.J. (in press). Inclusion understood from the perspective of children with disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly.

Watkinson, E.J. (2010). Let’s play! Facilitating play on the playground. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Spencer-Cavaliere, N., Causgrove Dunn, J., & Watkinson, E.J. (2009). Is recess an achievement context? An Application of expectancy-value theory to playground choices. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 55(1), 40-53.

Spencer-Cavaliere, N., Peers, D.L., & Watkinson, E.J. (2008). Integrating able-bodied athletes in disability sport: Athletic identity and competivie/elite women’s wheelchair basketball players. Pulse, 21(1), 9-10.

Watkinson, E.J., Dwyer, S., & Nielsen, A.B. (2005). Children theorize about reasons for recess engagement: Does expectancy-value theory apply? Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 122, 168-187.

Koh, J., & Watkinson, E.J. (2004). Video analysis of head blows leading to concussion in competition taekwondo. Brain Injury, 18(12), 1287-1296.

Steadward, R.D., Wheeler, G., & Watkinson, E.J. (Eds.). (2003). Adapted physical activity. Edmonton, CA: University of Alberta Press.

Fitzpatrick, D., & Watkinson, E.J. (2003). The lived experience of physical awkwardness: Adults retrospective views. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 20(3): 279-297.

Goodwin, D., Watkinson, E.J., & Fitzpatrick, D. (2003). Inclusive physical education: A conceptual framework. Chapter 30 in Steadward, R., Wheeler, G. and Watkinson, E.J. Adapted Physical Activity, University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, AB.

Koh, J.O., Cassidy, D., & Watkinson, E.J. (2003). Incidence of concussion in contact sports: A systematic review of the evidence. Brain Injury, 17(10): 901-917.

Watkinson, E.J., & Causgrove Dunn, J. (2003). Applying Ecological Task Analysis to the assessment of playground skills. Chapter 15 in Steadward, R., Wheeler, G. & Watkinson, E.J. Adapted Physical Activity, University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, AB.

Koh, J.O., & Watkinson, E.J. (2002). Video analysis of blows to the head and face at the 1999 World Taekwondo Championships. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 42(3): 348-353.

Koh, J.O., de Freitas, T., & Watkinson, E.J. (2001). Injuries at the 14th World Taekwondo Championships in 1999. International Journal of Applied Sport Science, 13(1), 33-48.

Causgrove Dunn, J., & Watkinson, E.J. (2001). Perceptions of self and environment as mediators of participation in physical activity: Considering motivation theory in the study of Developmental Coordination Disorder. In S.A. Cermak & D. Larkin (Eds.), Developmental Coordination Disorder (pp. 185-199). Albany, NY: Delmar.

Watkinson, E.J., Causgrove Dunn, J., Cavaliere, N., Calzoneti, K., Wilhelm, L., & Dwyer, S. (2001). Engagement in playground activities as a criterion for diagnosing Developmental Coordination Disorder. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 18, 18-34.

Goodwin, D., & Watkinson, E.J., (2000). Inclusive physical education from the perspective of students with physical disabilities. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 17(2), 144-160.