Investigating Physical Education Teachers' Health Pedagogies

Author(s):

Kyriaki Makopoulou(presenting / submitting)Kathleen Armour

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

18. Research in Sports Pedagogy

Format:

Paper

Session Information

18 SES 10, Parallel Paper Session

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-20

15:30-17:00

Room:

FFL - Salón de Grados

Chair:

Kyriaki Makopoulou

Contribution

This paper reports data from a project investigating Physical Education (PE) teachers’ health pedagogies. In Europe, the link between PE and health has historical roots. In recent years, curriculum, medical and policy authorities (Department for Education and Skills and Department of Health, 2005) have reinforced the view that the quantity and quality of young people’s engagement in physical activity for health is an important goal for Physical Education. Evidence suggests that PE teachers are making efforts to include a ‘health’ component in the PE curriculum (Cale 2000; OFSTED, 2009); and in some cases (albeit limited and in particular contexts) their endeavours are facilitated by health-related instructional programmes developed and tested by leading academics in the field (e.g., Fardy et al., 2004; Kulinna et al., 2008). However, in the English context, numerous concerns have been expressed about confusion and variability in the delivery of ‘Health Related Exercise’ (HRE) (Cale & Harris, 2009); and the (negative) impact of some prevailing HRE practices (e.g. fitness testing, drills) upon pupils has been highlighted (Corbin, 2002; Trost, 2004). Moreover, there is a lack of agreement about what teachers need to know in order to teach this curriculum requirement effectively and the lack of relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has been identified as a key concern (Ward, 2009). Therefore, fundamental questions remain about PE teachers’ knowledge, understandings and practices in this curriculum area (Cale & Harris, 2009; OFSTED, 2009; Trost, 2004; Kirk, 2006). To address this, the study sought to investigate two research questions: What are the main features of PE teachers’ existing health-pedagogies? What do these PE teachers need to learn to extend or improve their existing health pedagogies?

Method

To answer these research questions, a qualitative and descriptive research design was selected within the case study framework (Stake, 2005). In total, 12 secondary schools across three different local authorities were purposively selected to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Heads of Physical Education and 14 PE teachers with a range of teaching experiences and responsibilities in the schools. Interviews with two local PE school advisors were also conducted with a dual purpose: firstly, to explain the wider context in which these schools were operating; and secondly, to offer an overview of existing health pedagogies and professional development needs in the area. Interview data were analysed using a constructivist version of ‘grounded’ theory (Charmaz, 2006). This approach challenges the notion that data analysis is a purely inductive process where data are ‘discovered’ through the researchers’ objectivity. Rather, it is assumed that researchers have frames of references that shape their interpretations of data.

Expected Outcomes

All research participants acknowledged the importance of teaching about health. Some variation in the form of delivery was identified (e.g., units of work on health). Despite the fact that all teachers defined health broadly, the prevalent theme in their lessons was supporting students to learn about physical fitness. The majority of the teachers (20) argued that their subject knowledge in health has been enhanced over time, and they identified a number of learning sources (e.g., GCES books on health, internet, and other teachers). An analysis of expected learning outcomes for students aged 11-14, as reported by the teachers, showed that there was very little variation, challenge or progression for the students between the three years. When these teachers were asked about what they would need to learn in future PE-CPD on health, most of them looked for new curriculum or pedagogical approaches in order to renew their practices and enhance pupils’ learning experiences. Preliminary findings point to the need for new directions in PE-CPD on health, enabling teachers to support pupil learning progression and to investigate different pedagogical approaches / models.

References

Cale, L. (2000) Physical activity promotion in schools – PE teachers’ views. European Journal of Physical Education, 5 (2), 158-167. Cale, L. & Harris, J. (2009) Fitness testing in physical education - a misdirected effort in promoting healthy lifestyles and physical activity? Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 14 (1), 89-108. Charmaz, K. (2006) Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis (London: Sage publications). Corbin, C.B. (2002) Physical activity for everyone: What every physical educator should know about promoting lifelong physical activity. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 21, 128-144. Department for Education and Skills and Department of Health, (2005). National Healthy School Status. A Guide for Schools (London: Author). Fardy, P.S., Azzollini, A. & Herman, A. (2004) Health-based physical education in urban high schools: the PATH program. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 23, 359-371. Kirk, D. (2006) The ‘obesity crisis’ and school physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 11 (2), 121-133. Kulinna, P.H., McCaughtry, N., Martin, J.J., Cothran, D. & Faust, R. (2008) The influence of professional development on teachers’ psychosocial perceptions of teaching a health-related physical education curriculum. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 27, 292-307. OFSTED (2009) Physical Education in schools 2005/8 (London: The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted). Trost, S.G. (2004) School physical education in the post-report era: an analysis from public health. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 23, 318-337. Ward, L. (2009) Physical education teachers’ engagement with ‘health-related exercise’ and health-related continuing professional development: A health profile? (Loughborough: unpublished thesis Loughborough University).

Author Information

Kyriaki Makopoulou (presenting / submitting)

University of Birmingham

Department of Sport Pedagogy, School of Education

Birmingham

Kathleen Armour

University of Birmingham

Sport Pedagogy