Search

In this paper we offer practical suggestions for integrating social justice content into physical-activity based physical education, namely, through a socially-just TPSR approach. We first address the challenges of using pedagogies for social justice in physical education. This is followed by a brief overview of TPSR (the what) and a re-imagined TPSR approach from a social justice lens. Next, practical examples for developing a socially-just TPSR approach are offered such as ways to a) examine and practice socially just behaviors, b) include transfer and advocacy, and c) use a five-part TPSR lesson plan to integrate social justice issues into physical-activity-based physical education settings. Final thoughts include a) being patient and kind to yourself when implementing unfamiliar approaches and issues, and b) making decisions about the inclusion of social justice issues based on what's personally meaningful for students as well as context, and c) using a TPSR approach to enact social justice content requires a reconceptualization of the model through a social justice lens.

Background: The world experienced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in school closures across the globe in early 2020. Schools pivoted to remote delivery of learning using a variety of online and offline resources. PE is vital in providing motor development opportunities for children and it is essential to ensure that the provision of quality PE experiences is continued, even in the context of a pandemic. It was in this context that the "PE at Home" lessons were developed. Purpose: This study examined teachers' and parents' experiences of using the "PE at Home" resource and contributes to documenting the PE home-learning experience and can inform how the education system might respond and incorporate remote teaching into the future. Methods: A mixed-methods study utilising online surveys with 29 teachers and 173 parents/guardians and online interviews with five teachers, five parents and seven resource developers was undertaken. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed while qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach (Braun, V., and V. Clarke. 2006. "Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology." "Qualitative Research in Psychology" 3 (2): 77-101). Findings: The "PE at Home" lessons had excellent viewership with over 27,000 Facebook and 937 website views. Three themes (i) ensuring the 'E' remained in PE; (ii) home-schooling and physical education; (ii) and context and relatability were developed from the data. While some parents demonstrated that their knowledge of PE was that it consisted of physical activity, other parents along with teachers and developers reflected on the educative component of the lessons. The "PE at Home" lessons provided teachers with a resource to share with parents to support parents home-school during COVID-19 school closures. An Irish resource featuring Irish children and aligned with the Irish curriculum was seen as a strength by both parents and teachers. Conclusion: The "PE at Home" lessons address the teaching and learning of PE in multiple contexts, particularly in an online environment, and they can be used in multiple ways to promote learning.

This research explored the experiences of children (age 9-10) when five Irish generalist primary teachers positioned meaningfulness as the priority filter for their pedagogical decision-making in physical education (n = 37). Pedagogies that support meaningfulness include those that are democratic and reflective, and give attention to individual experiences. Data sources included non-participant observations (n = 10), pupil diary (n = 101) and focus groups (n = 21 in five focus groups). Children's experiences were enhanced by shared ownership of the learning focus, collaboration on learning activities and teacher's attention to individual experiences. Results provide direction on a coherent approach to prioritising meaningfulness in primary physical education.

Academics in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE), similar to their counterparts in other disciplines, receive little formal preparation when they take on academic leadership positions. Yet such career changes require different skill sets and expose academics to complex challenges of leadership. We (three academics) initiated this study to explore the implications of academic leadership positions for our PETE identities. We wished to unpack the consequences of taking on these leadership roles, or our 'desire to become more' and 'to better understand' (Ovens, A., & Fletcher, T. (2014). Doing self-study: The art of turning inquiry on yourself. In A. Ovens & T. Fletcher (Eds.), "Self-study in physical education teacher education: Exploring the interplay of practice and scholarship" (Vol. 13, pp. 3-14). London: Springer, p. 7). This research used a collective self-study methodology and drew on Skype meetings, reflections, critical friend prompts and emails. We present our findings as coming to view identity changes as tensions: bridging between roles; competing identities; identity as stable or malleable; and educator or fiscal manager. Gee's four identity perspectives including natural, institutional, discursive and affinity are used to unpack these tensions. While challenges associated with our role change persist, collective S-STEP was critical to understanding ourselves, the tensions experienced, and navigating the gaps between PETE and academic leadership.

Generalist primary teachers teach physical education in many countries, and their preparation has been the subject of attention internationally. While they undertake field experiences as part of their preparation to teach, it is unclear how much of their teaching is focused on physical education. Reflective practice is recognised as a significant element of their preparation (Korthagen, 2014) with a view to improving practice. The focus of this study is on field experiences and reflective practice of a cohort of generalist primary pre-service teachers (PSTs) (N=25). This study is a qualitative descriptive study. Data analysed were written reflections chosen because they were considered a powerful professional learning tool. The reflections focused on a particular field experience that consisted of teaching physical education supported by their peers and teacher educators. Findings of the study reveal that the PSTs appreciated the learning environment provided by the field experience, characterised by dialogue, support and encouragement. They saw merit, relevancy and meaningfulness in the experience prior to embarking on it, where both anxiety and excitement were highlighted. While their learning focused on lesson planning, resource management and class organisation, they wrote of learning from observing their peers teaching, from co-teaching and from receiving feedback from teacher educators and peers. They identified the potential to build on this experience within their future evaluated experiences. The focus on physical education within a particular field experience is significant in building the confidence and competence of PSTs.

Teachers today must not only be prepared to use technology but must also know how to use it (Butler, D., K. Marshall, and M. Leahy. 2015. "Shaping the Future: How Technology Can Lead to Educational Transformation, 1st ed." Dublin: Liffey Press). The purpose of this study was to explore two primary physical education initial teacher educator's (PEITE's) professional learning experiences while introducing iPads into a physical education module. The module's focus was to promote quality teaching, learning and assessment of fundamental movement skills in physical education with pre-service generalist primary teachers. It was a qualitative study utilising lesson study methodology. Data included audio files, video recordings and field notes. Following analysis, three themes were developed: learning the technology, managing the technology and integrating the technology. The findings showed that for the PEITEs, time was a valuable commodity while grappling with technological knowledge, technological pedagogical knowledge and pre-service teachers' physical education knowledge. Self-directed learning was an enabler to facilitate technological and pedagogical competence for the PEITEs. Although managing aspects of the technology, such as limited Wi-Fi access and technical support, was a challenge, the PEITEs continued to integrate iPads into their teaching.

Purpose: Studying learning in primary physical education is complex and largely practical and embodied; not only involving the child, but also closely linking the lesson context. The aim of this paper is to understand teaching and learning in primary physical education through the use of photo-diaries. Method: Participants were children (n = 38) and their teachers (n = 2) from two Irish primary schools across a 6-week period. Data included children's photo-diaries, photo-elicitation focus group interviews with the children, and interviews with their teachers. Results: Results highlight that photo-diaries supported children's meaning-making processes about their learning, highlighting a variety of meanings grounded in the centrality of the body as performance of learning. Discussion and Conclusion: The value of photo-based approaches with primary school children to access their meaning-making and influences on their understandings is highlighted.

Primary generalist pre-service teachers (PSTs) rarely have the opportunity to observe teachers teaching authentic physical education (PE) lessons let alone reflect with the teachers, their lecturer or their peers following the lesson. Observation of, and reflection on, quality lessons can have a powerful influence on shaping the PSTs' soon-to-be-teachers professional identities and can also help them to develop reflective and critical thinking skills. A qualitative framework utilising critical incidents, described as 'events identified by student teachers as significant in making progress toward becoming a better teacher' guided the PSTs' observations in this study. One primary PE initial teacher educator and four PSTs, from Ireland, participated in the study and data comprised of a planning discussion, 40 critical incident observations of 10 lessons in two European countries and two reflective discussions. Each set of observations was followed by a group discussion to provide opportunities for reflection-on-action. Examination of the data showed that PSTs extended their understanding of professional practice in: (a) questioning and demonstrating; (b) inclusion; (c) organisation and management; and (d) feedback and were surprised that practice in both countries was more similar than different. Critical incidents were a useful method of focusing reflections for the PSTs and the opportunity to engage in the process of observing, and reflecting on, quality lessons impacted the PSTs' perceptions towards becoming better teachers.

Formation of positive attitudes is an objective in primary physical education. Children are more likely to engage in physical activity if they adopt positive attitudes towards physical education and parents play a large role in their development. This study explores parents' and children's attitudes toward their school's physical education provision. Overall, parents and children had positive attitudes towards their school's physical education programme. Children and parents valued fun and enjoyment in the physical education programme (affective component). Health and fitness as well as team sport discourses were felt important by parents, but they had little knowledge of the content of their child's physical education programme (cognitive component). There was little difference in either of the affective or cognitive components of attitude across gender or class groups in each of the areas explored except in responses about what physical education does and should do in their child's school. The school community must explore ways to inform parents about, and support their child's learning in, physical education ensuring positive attitudes (cognitive and affective) are fostered and encouraged towards influencing positive physically active behaviours.

Our purpose was to explore the role of photocue reflection in the professional learning of physical education teacher educators. Five physical education teacher educators participated in a six-month professional learning experience focused on communication. Individual diaries including both photos and writing prompts, photocue reflective diaries, were used as both a learning tool and data source within a self-study of teacher education practices methodological frame. Two themes represented the use of photocue reflection: the multidimensional nature of the professional development experience and the use of photocue reflection to enhance reflective processes by supporting reflection on reflection-in-action. Photocue reflection supported identification and analysis of meaningful events related to communication. The processes helped participants to appreciate the significance of communication, clarifying understandings, and making connections to their teacher education practices. Insight is shared on the merits of photocue reflection in scaffolding professional learning experiences and in combining both a learner and teacher role within professional development activities.

Major curriculum changes have recently occurred in Ireland, including redeveloping the primary curriculum and the enactment of the Junior Cycle Framework (DES, 2015). Positive and negative experiences affect the attitudes which contribute to determining the quality of curricular experiences. Framed in the work of Fullan, M. (1991. "The New Meaning of Educational Change." Toronto: Teachers College Press) and Dewey, J. (1997. "Experience and Education." New York, NY: Touchstone), this study aims to understand how young people's experiences of collective physical activity can inform physical education curriculum development and enactment. Focus group interviews were conducted in three primary and three post-primary schools. The young people's experiences reflected the features of meaningful physical education: fun opportunities, preferably outside; to socially interact with friends; provision of activities that are both competitive and non-competitive; activities focused on team sport and alternative forms of movement such as yoga; differentiated activities and teams and choice, beyond choosing between team sports only. We argue that the young person's voice has the potential to inform policy and practice, as well as enforce and advocate for policy and practice that positions young people at the centre of the learning experience.

BackgroundPurposeMethodFindingsDiscussionConclusionResearch in teacher education practice explicitly highlights how learning to teach teachers is a complex, messy, sophisticated process, filled with uncertainty and perpetual challenges. While this applies to all aspects of teacher education, we focus here on the process of learning to teach pre-service teachers (PSTs) how to teach about, through, and for social justice (pedagogies) by enacting the Socially-Just Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (SJ-TPSR) approach.This research was guided by the following research question: What are the realities of enacting a SJ-TPSR approach in physical education teacher education (PETE)?Utilising a collaborative self-study approach two physical education teacher educators, supported by two critical friends, enacted the SJ-TPSR approach in a 10-week outdoor and adventure activities module with pre-service generalist primary school teachers. Data included: critical friend meetings, pedagogical decision-making documents and interviews with the teacher educators and PSTs.The findings revolve around three categories: (i) Teaching about teaching and learning about teaching the SJ-TPSR approach; (ii) The importance of learning together; and (iii) A pedagogy of vulnerability needed? The findings demonstrated the need to take a gradual approach to teaching about teaching the SJ-TPSR approach and learning about teaching along with the SJ-TPSR approach. It was a daunting experience but reflection and sharing our thoughts mitigated most of these feelings. The importance of learning together was highlighted by both teacher educators. Co-constructing this new knowledge with the PSTs further supported this process. Finally, when enacting a new pedagogical approach, particularly in the area of social justice, required an additional pedagogical approach that of vulnerability.Our collaborative self-study on the enactment of the SJ-TPSR approach is an explicit example of reframing pedagogy and practice not only from a social change and social justice perspective, but about, through, and for social justice and change. We first reconceptualised the TPSR approach to the SJ-TPSR approach from a social justice perspective, but then examined our practice and developed practices that also support the teaching and learning about, through, and for social justice. The practices developed have implications for the enactment of the SJ-TPSR approach which hold possibilities for other innovative practices (e.g. layering), and also for self-study research, namely ways in which collaborative self-study can be conducted and in which self-study can work from a social change and social justice perspectiveWe trust that sharing our journey thus far will support others interested in enacting the SJ-TPSR approach, and that we, in turn, can learn from others enacting, examining, and articulating their experiences with the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Studying learning in primary physical education is complex and largely practical and embodied; not only involving the child, but also closely linking the lesson context. The aim of this paper is to understand teaching and learning in primary physical education through the use of photo-diaries. Method: Participants were children (n = 38) and their teachers (n = 2) from two Irish primary schools across a 6-week period. Data included children's photo-diaries, photo-elicitation focus group interviews with the children, and interviews with their teachers. Results: Results highlight that photo-diaries supported children's meaning-making processes about their learning, highlighting a variety of meanings grounded in the centrality of the body as performance of learning. Discussion and Conclusion: The value of photo-based approaches with primary school children to access their meaning-making and influences on their understandings is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of professional socialisation can provide insight on the impact of Physical Education Teacher Education. A large-scale (n=326) single question "What is PE?" qualitative methodology was used to access pre-service primary teachers' understandings of the nature and purpose of physical education . Data analysis involved word frequency queries and coding using a qualitative coding framework based on the dominant discourses of physical education. Trustworthiness of the analysis was addressed using memos, coding checks and peer de-briefing. While responses at the beginning of the programme were dominated by sport and health discourses, an educational discourse grounded in the key messages of the primary physical education curriculum with emphasis on equality of opportunity emerged at the end of the programme. The complexity of addressing understandings in teacher education contexts is highlighted. (Contains 1 table.)

Professional development (PD) is essential for primary school teachers to meet the demands of the education system. Quality PD is aligned with classroom conditions, school contexts and teachers' daily experiences. The purpose of the study was to explore primary teachers' experiences of a 6-week physical education professional development programme (PE-PDP). A single school case study was employed (N = 28 teachers, N = 780 pupils) and all teachers and a sample of children participated in focus group interviews. Transcripts were categorised and themed using systematic content analysis. Results revealed that post the PE-PDP, teachers' PE content knowledge had expanded and this encouraged them to use existing classroom paedagogical strategies in the PE context. This developed their confidence in teaching PE and a greater understanding of the PE curriculum and its purpose. (Contains 1 table.)

Background: The promotion of physical activity among young children has become a universal challenge. Children spend large amounts of time in school, making it an attractive setting in which to promote positive health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate school-based physical activity behavior and its determinants in young Irish children. Methods: Participants self-reported school-based free-play activity, commuting to school behavior, and levels of enjoyment of physical education and physical activity. Results: Data were collected from 605 children, mean age was 8.8 years (±2.2; range 5-14 years), 44% were female. Thirty-nine percent of children actively commuted to school, with 40% of males compared with 34.8% of females walking to school. Boys reported more physically active free-play activity (88.6% at break and 90.9% at lunch time) compared with girls (70.8% and 83.7% respectively). Physical education was a top 3 favorite subject for 78% of children and 50.7% reported they would prefer to take part in more active pastimes directly after school. Conclusions: Strategies for increasing active commuting are required. Boys and girls are more alike than unlike in their behaviors and attitudes. Teachers should capitalize on the fact that children's favorite subject is physical education to promote physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical education is a socially constructed activity that forms one component of a wider physical culture that includes sport and health/physical activity . The terms sport and physical education are often used interchangeably in school contexts, where sport and health continue to shape what is understood by the term physical education. This study explores discourses shaping pre-service primary teachers' understandings of the nature and purposes of physical education within an Irish context and the relationship between these understandings. A 10-minute writing task prompted by the question ‘what is physical education?’ was completed by a sample of pre-service teachers (n=544, age range 18–46, 8.8% male) from two colleges of education, prior to the physical education component of their teacher education programme. Content analysis involved an initial text frequency search to create categories which were collapsed into three broad areas of students' understandings of physical education—sport, health and physical education. The research design allowed access to pre-service teachers' understandings of physical education. Participants' understandings reflected their own school experiences and were framed within health and sport ideologies of physical education. Although acknowledged as an important part of school life physical education was perceived as a break from academic subjects where the purpose of learning was to learn sports and activities to stay fit and healthy. While the overwhelmingly positive nature of participants' experiences and the changing discourses around competition and team games are encouraging the dominant discourses of physical education continue to reflect the dominant aspects of wider physical culture in Ireland. The capacity of physical education to move beyond reproducing dominant sport and health ideologies provides a significant challenge to teacher education contexts, to challenge dominant discourses and recreate understandings of physical education for future action. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Primary physical education lags behind student voice developments in research and practice internationally ( Gillett-Swan and Baroutsis, 2023) and in post-primary physical education ( Howley and O'Sullivan, 2021; Iannucci and Parker, 2022a). Furthermore, evidence is lacking on how to guide primary teachers learning to implement student voice pedagogies in physical education successfully. This research begins to fill this gap by focusing on the research question: What direction can be taken from primary teachers’ experiences of learning to enact student voice in physical education? Insight on what mattered in teachers’ learning to enact student voice can guide how to promote student voice pedagogies as everyday primary physical education pedagogies. Within a professional learning community (n = 10), nine primary teachers enacted student voice pedagogical strategies over a six-month period. Data sources included recordings of monthly collective meetings with teachers (n = 7), mid-point (n = 4) and/or end-point (n = 6) individual interviews with the teachers, blog posts (n = 2), conference presentations (n = 2), and three focus groups with children (n = 12). Drawing on teachers’ and children's experiences, a roadmap for teachers getting started with enactment of student voice pedagogies is presented with attention to: starting small, starting smart, and not stopping. Teachers valued the outcomes of enactment of student voice pedagogies for the children in their classes in ways that changed their teaching approaches and sustained their commitment to student voice pedagogies. The roadmap presented can be used to support teachers learning how to enact student voice as an everyday pedagogy in primary physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]