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College of Health and Human Services

Nicole J. Smith

Associate Professor

Kinesiology | 559.278.2069 | Office: North Gym 160

njsmith@csufresno.edu

Education

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Ph.D., 2009
M.S., 2005

University of Nevada, Reno
B.S., 1993

 

Courses Taught

  • KINES 31
  • KINES 152
  • KINES 144
  • EHD 154B
  • CI 161

Dr. Nicole J. Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. She Coordinates the Kinesiology Physical Education option, is a Faculty Fellow in the Central California Children’s Institute in the Center for Health and Human Services, and leads the Physical Activity Research in Kinesiology P.A.R.K. research program. She aims to increase physical activity in the population. She does this by preparing teachers to implement evidence-based programs and by engaging in research to understand factors that influence physical activity in school settings. She publishes and presents work on topics including the utility of heart rate monitor systems; school-based physical activity opportunity, high school physical education, the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time, and physical activity policy. She recently led an applied research project to describe mask adherence and distancing at park and commercial center locations in Fresno County (SOMAD: Fresno County). She formerly coordinated Discovering Obstacles to Physical Education: Do PE! A project funded by Active Living Research ($50K) and was Project Manager for the Physical Education Academy, a component of the Healthy Eaters Lifelong Movers project funded by the Colorado Health Foundation ($3.1M) and implemented in 25 schools in southeastern Colorado.
  • Physical activity promotion
  • Evidence-based Physical Education program dissemination
  • Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE)
  • Physical activity policy
  • Systematic observation of physical activity
  • Heart rate monitoring systems
  • Pedometry
  • Accelerometry

Dr. Smith publishes and presents her work for national and international audiences.

RECENT SCHOLARSHIP

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Smith, N. J., Belansky, E. S., Cutforth, N. (2020). The Southeast Colorado Physical Education Academy: Implementation and Outcomes in Rural Elementary Schools, 2014-16. Advances in Physical Education, 10(4). 10.4236/ape.2020.104035 

Lounsbery, M. A. F., McKenzie, T. L., & Smith, N. J. (2019). School Physical Activity Policy. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. 4(17): 173-178. DOI: 10.1249/TJX.0000000000000103

Smith, N. J., McKenzie, T. L., & Hammons. A. (2018). International studies of physical education using SOFIT: A review. Advances in Physical Education. 9(1): 53-74 https://doi.org/10.4236/ape.2019.91005

McKenzie, T. L., & Smith, N. J. (2017). Studies of physical education in the United States using SOFIT: A Review. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 87(4), 492-502. doi:10.1080/02701367.2017.1376028

Book Chapters 

Lounsbery, M. A. F., McKenzie, T. L., & Smith, N. J. (2020). School and Community Policies: Implications for Youth Physical Activity and Research. In T. Brusseau, S. Fairclough, and D. Lubans (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Youth Physical Activity (Chapter 11). London: Routledge. ISBN 9781138331549

Refereed Abstracts & Proceedings 

Aholu, C., Smith, N. J., Jackson, C. G. R., Kinnunen, D. A. (2019). Innovations in heart rate monitor devices and smart applications: Physical configuration matters! [Abstract]. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 51(6 Suppl):36. doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000560597.10413.d4

Smith, N. J., & McKenzie, T. L. (2019). SOFIT studies of physical education in U.S. and international schools. [Abstract]. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 51(6 Suppl):530. doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000562095.19704.71

Smith, N.J. & McKenzie, T.L. (2018). Physical Education in the U.S.: Systematic Observations of Physical Activity, Lesson Length, and Class Size. [Abstract]. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 50(5 Suppl):65

Smith, N. J. & McKenzie, T. L. (2018). Physical education lessons in U.S. schools: An analysis using SOFIT. [Abstract]. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 89(S1):65-66.

Blogs 

Smith, N. J. (May 19, 2020). SPARK BASICS for Home Environments. A blog written for Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids. This blog is available at https://blog.sparkpe.org/spark-basics-for-home-environments/

International Refereed Presentations 

Smith, N. J., Ang, A. Dwelle, A., LeNorgant, E., Spiegel, M., & Ramirez, D. (Feb 4th, 2020). Use of walking trails and outdoor exercise equipment: Case study using iSOPARC on a university campus. An oral presentation accepted at Active Living Conference February 2-5th in Orlando, FL.

Smith, N. J., & McKenzie, T. L. (June 22, 2019). Studies of physical education using SOFIT in U.S. and International Schools. An oral presentation at the Association Internationale des Ecoles Supérieures d’Education Physique international conference at Adelphi University in Garden City, NY June 19 – 22, 2019.

Aholu, C., Smith, N. J., Jackson, C. G. R., Kinnunen, D. A. (2019). Innovations in heart rate monitor devices and smart applications: Physical configuration matters! A poster presentation at the 2019 annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Orlando, FL May 28 – June 1, 2019.

Smith, N. J., & McKenzie, T. L. (2019). SOFIT studies of physical education in U.S. and international schools. A poster presentation at the 2019 annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Orlando, FL May 28 – June 1, 2019.

Smith, N.J., McKenzie, T.L. (February 17, 2019). Studies of Physical Education Using SOFIT in Non-USA Schools. A poster presentation at Active Living Research Conference February 17-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC.

Smith, N.J. & McKenzie, T.L. (2018). Physical Education in the U.S.: Systematic Observations of Physical Activity, Lesson Length, and Class Size. A poster presentation at the American College of Sports Medicine Convention May 30, 2018 in Minneapolis, MN.

Cutforth, N., Belansky, E., Kern, B., Scarbro, S., & Smith, N. (2017). Improving the Quality of Physical Education in Rural Schools: Lessons Learned from the Physical Education Academy. An oral presentation at Active Living Research Conference February 26-March 1, 2017 in Clearwater, FL.