ABSTRACT
When I was asked to write this chapter I was not sure I was the best person to analyze the research that has been my professional focus for over two decades. I am invested in the concept that empirical research can answer questions about what helps students learn motor skills in physical education. I believe that having data that can serve as a basis for making informed decisions about teaching and learning in physical education is necessary if we are to grow as a profession. In addition, I believe that many issues in physical education should be discussed with more than just a gut feeling or with the view that something is correct because we have always done it that way or because the way we have always done it has not worked so this way must be better. I definitely believe that research has the potential to influence practice and help practitioners make decisions (Locke et al. 1998).
