Jennifer Beller

Research interest

Jennifer Beller’s research projects include the measurement of moral reasoning in competitive populations as well as in the helping professions and athletic training, a longitudinal study of moral reasoning in high school athletes and non athletes, nationwide longitudinal studies of moral reasoning and servant leadership in Division I football programs, character education, ethics in research, and research in physical activity. Additionally she is investigating the mind/body diochotomy and the intersection between cognitive knowing and motor knowing through “bodily” knowing — and has developed a program called “SMARTKIDS–A Way of Life” that integrates motor skills with increasingly challenging cognitive tasks in elementary school children.

Teaching/professional interests

Jennifer Beller teaches Introduction to Educational Statistics, Advanced Educational Statistics, Research Methods II, Ethics in Research, Advanced Quantitative Techniques in Education, and Research and Assessment in Kinesiology. She is Affiliate Associate Faculty Member to the University of Idaho Center for ETHICS* where she uses her expertise in assessment and methodology in studies of moral reasoning, moral development, recreation, and physical activity. Dr. Beller has consulted on moral reasoning and moral development of competitive populations with the NCAA, NCAA President’s Commission, the United State Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, The Idaho Supreme Court, the American Bar Examiner’s Association, the National Federation of High School Activity Associations, the National Youth Sport Coaches Association, and various business schools, as well as high schools, colleges, and universities. She has been featured on Niteline, CNN, ESPN, KREM 2 and the BBC TV in Manchester England as well as in numerous newspaper and magazine articles. She is co-author of the Hahm-Beller Values Choice Inventory, the gold standard for measruing moral reasoning in sport which has been translated and validated in 7 different languages. She is also co-author on four other inventories measures social and moral values.

Recent accomplishments

Beller, J.M., & Mills, P. (February 2012). Cerebellum rules! Presentation to the annual national Conference on Research innovation in Early Intervention CREIE, San Diego, CA. Lumpkin, A., Stoll, S.K., & Beller, J.M. (2011). Practical Ethics in Sport Management. McFarland Pub. 2012 Excellence in Collaboration and Networking Award Department of ELCP 2010 Honors College Outstanding Mentor of the Year Award 2006 and 2007 WSU Outstanding Mentor Award, Women & Leadership Alliance Forum. Rickel, K., Stoll, S.K., & Beller, J.M. (March, 2005). The effects of a life narrative-based exercise philosophy, internet enhanced curriculum, on college participants’ subjective and objective exercise values. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 76(2), A-. Lumpkin, A., Stoll, S.K., & Beller, J.M. (2004) Sport Ethics: Applications for Fair Play (3rd ed). McGraw Hill Pub Co. 2004 Category 4 Award and Overall Paper of the Year Award American Society for Engineering Education. “Tailoring Cooperative Learning Events in Engineering Education” Zemke, S., Elger, D., & Beller, J.M. Beller, J.M. (2002). Positive character development in school sport programs. Invited commissioned paper to the ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education DIGEST, EDO-SP-2002-06. (As one of the leading experts in sport ethics, Beller was commissioned to write a paper specifically addressing how positive character can be developed through sport. The DIGEST is the ERIC Journal on the current relevant topics in education.) Rickel, K., Stoll, S.K., & Beller, J.M. (2004). Exercise adherence: The role sport philosophy can play in developing pedagogical practice. International Association for the Philosophy of Sport – online.

Educational background

• Ph.D Education, University of Idaho, 1990
• M.S. Physical Education, University of Idaho, 1987
• B.S. Physical Education, University of Idaho, 1981