Dave Jones, Doctor of Education in Kinesiology
After 21 years of teaching elementary physical education (PE), UNCG EdD in Kinesiology (EdD in KIN) alumnus Dave Jones has taken his experience beyond the walls of a single gymnasium. Dave now serves as the K-12 Healthful Living Coordinating Teacher for Wake County Public Schools, a central office position in which he helps support more than 450 healthful living teachers across the district. A National Board Certified Teacher in Physical Education, Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, a master’s degree in Health Education, and a doctor of education in Kinesiology.
From Elementary PE to District-Wide Leadership
In his new role, Dave works alongside the district’s healthful living senior administrator to support teachers and strengthen health and PE programming throughout Wake County. His responsibilities include leading quarterly professional development for approximately 130 elementary PE teachers, writing and updating curriculum, creating online professional development courses, and conducting supportive school visits and observations. He also serves as a National Board coach, helping teachers navigate the National Board Certification process in areas including arts, healthful living, English as a Second Language, and world languages.
The transition from teaching elementary PE to working in a central office has come with some adjustments. “The hardest transition was honestly getting away from wearing active clothing in the gym with kids to professional attire in the office,” Dave shared. While he misses his daily interactions with students, his new position allows him to pursue a broader professional goal: improving the quality of PE instruction across the county and, through that work, positively affecting even more students.
Putting the EdD Into Practice
His experience in UNCG’s EdD in Kinesiology program continues to influence how he approaches that work. Dave credits the program with preparing him to design high-quality online learning experiences for adults. He has since developed several professional development courses for Wake County teachers, including PE Best Practices, Introduction to Healthful Living National Boards, and PE for Beginning Teachers. Those resources are particularly valuable for beginning educators and alternate licensure teachers, which often times enter the profession with degrees in other fields and may not have completed traditional undergraduate preparation or student teaching in healthful living.
Bringing Research Back to Schools
Dave has also found ways to translate his doctoral research directly into his professional practice. His dissertation examined the relationship between poverty, physical fitness, and academic achievement in 4th and 5th graders. Today, he uses that research to develop presentations and resources for schools identified as low performing, sharing data and strategies related to how PE can contribute to student development and academic success.
Expanding His Impact
For Dave, the EdD was not simply another credential. It helped shape the direction of his career and provided skills he continues to use as an educator and leader.
“I’m proud of my experience and education from UNCG, which has positively affected the trajectory of my professional skills and career greatly,”
Dave Jones, EdD Alumni
From teaching students one-on-one in the gym to supporting hundreds of educators across one of North Carolina’s largest school districts, Dave’s work demonstrates how expertise in kinesiology can extend well beyond a traditional classroom, and how EdD graduates can use research, teaching, and leadership to influence practice on a much larger scale.