The Use of a Genetic Score in Assigning Students to Classes in PE Teacher Preparation Programs—A Preliminary Study

摘要

A teacher preparation program for physical education (PE) ? is typically composed of a number of branches,? including ?sport and exercise sciences, sport pedagogy, and activity classes. The ? activity classes ? play a key role in developing content knowledge that can be implemented by PE teachers in their classes. An attempt was made in this ? preliminary study to examine the use of a genetic score that has the potential to assist consultants/instructors in obtaining relevant information on the aerobic and anaerobic abilities of students enrolled in a PE teacher preparation program, as well as in assigning these students to activity classes included in the program. Participants were 219 PE students (111 males and 108 females; mean age = 20 ? - ? 29 yrs.), ? enrolled in a PE teacher preparation program at The Academic College at Wingate. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Genotyping of the? ACTN 3R/X and? ACE? I/D polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ? Two polygenetic scores ? were computed: Power Genetic Distance Score (PGDS2) and Endurance Genetic Distance Score (EGDS2). The main finding that emerged from our study was that both the ? male and female PE students were genetically predisposed toward aerobic skill rather than toward anaerobic skill: the students’ mean EGDS2 (52.6 ? + ? 23.0) was significantly higher compared to their mean PGDS2 (36.3 ? + ? 21.9) ( p ? < 0.001). This finding can be applied by consultants who provide academic/educational advice to PE students for selecting activity classes in the PE program, as well as by the instructors who teach these classes. However, when applying this finding a number of ethical concerns should be taken into account.