Ann MacPhail | University of Limerick (original) (raw)

Papers by Ann MacPhail

peer-reviewedThe papers that are presented in this special issue are those that emerged from Keyn... more peer-reviewedThe papers that are presented in this special issue are those that emerged from Keynote presentations delivered at the International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education / Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d’Education Physique (AIESEP) 2011 International Conference at the University of Limerick, Ireland on 22-25 June, 2011. The conference attracted over 340 international delegates from over 35 countries and five continents. The related AIESEP Book of Proceedings is a result of an open call for submitted papers related to the work delegates presented at the conference and can be accessed on the Physical Education Physical Activity and Youth Sport (PEPAYS) Research Centre web page at www.ul.ie/pepays The journal Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy will publish a special edition of peer-reviewed papers from the conference in 2012ACCEPTEDpeer-reviewe

International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 2021

There is a growing interest in the internationalization of research activities in higher educatio... more There is a growing interest in the internationalization of research activities in higher education institutions. Economic and political motivations are increasingly the key drivers for internationalization which might be viewed as disruptive and insensitive to local contexts, fostering inequality and forms of cultural and socioeconomic imperialism. Unlike this reductionist view of internationalization, we argue that internationalization should be considered a moral practice grounded in solidarity as a key concept to transform the social and material conditions of inequality. It is a solidarity based on sharing the struggle with people, and the will to give, and rethink, ourselves. The aim of this study is to explore the challenges experienced by an academic as she attempts to increase the internationalization of research activities in kinesiology through related research, journals and academic associations. A critical theoretical framework, based on Freire's notion of solidarity, encourages the reader to interrogate the way in which they strive towards contributing to the internationalization of research activities in kinesiology. It is suggested that solidarity might direct readers to considering internationalization as the promotion of cooperation among nations and, in turn, improving quality and relevance of research.

Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 2017

This paper aims to provide insights into the research worlds of an international group of mid-and... more This paper aims to provide insights into the research worlds of an international group of mid-and latecareer physical education teacher educators. Specifically, it explores participants' motives for research engagement and choices, and investigates what challenges and facilitates their research efforts. Two rounds of individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 physical education teacher educators across seven countries. Findings point to a distinction between research motives. Embarking on formal theses or specific funded projects was often motivated by practical and contextual drivers, such as job requirements or a wish for promotion, and was associated with feelings of frustration and stress. Motives for engaging in research in general, on the other hand, tended to be more personal or altruistic and elicited feelings such as enjoyment and passion. Time constraints, skill gaps and language barriers were all seen as challenges to research endeavours, while learning through doing, seeing and reading, and collaboration with others were seen as the main facilitators.

European Physical Education Review, 2019

There is a lack of research on the use of digital technology in physical education teacher educat... more There is a lack of research on the use of digital technology in physical education teacher education (PETE) and its relationship with the learning and engagement of pre-service teachers. Furthermore, research reports low engagement of pre-service teachers in digital approaches that do not promote active learning and are mostly teacher-centred. This paper aims to: (a) explore the relationship between a student-centred digital technology approach and the pre-service teachers’ intrinsic motivation, learning climate and academic achievement; and (b) test the relationship between learning climate and intrinsic motivation as possible predictors of academic achievement. The student-centred digital technology approach was designed following an adaptation of the five-phase pedagogical guidelines for teaching with emerging technologies. Two intact classes ( n = 110 students) and one teacher educator were involved in the study. Following a mixed-method approach, quantitative data was collected...

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 2017

Research investigating teachers’ and preservice teachers’ (PSTs) experiences delivering Sport Edu... more Research investigating teachers’ and preservice teachers’ (PSTs) experiences delivering Sport Education (SE) necessitates further attention (Glotova & Hastie, 2014). Research that has been conducted to date has shared varied findings, with some teachers finding it difficult to teach SE in its entirety (Curtner-Smith, Hastie, & Kinchin, 2008). This study investigated seven PSTs’ delivery of SE during their teaching placement in the final year of their physical education teacher education (PETE) program. Data were gathered through pre- and postteaching placement interviews and midteaching placement focus groups, which were analyzed using thematic coding and constant comparison (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Thomas, 2009). Occupational socialization (Lawson, 1983a, 1983b) was used as the framework to analyze the factors that influenced their learning and delivery of SE. Findings show that PSTs encountered specific difficulties related to teaching SE on teaching placement and that their coope...

Journal of Teaching Physical Education, 2016

The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which beginning and experienced teachers di... more The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which beginning and experienced teachers differed in their perceptions of shaping school forces and their being shaped by school forces. The findings allow the authors to examine the link between teacher socialization research and practice in a physical education teacher education (PETE) program and to consider the practical (and institutional) changes that may improve the quality of teacher education. Six beginning physical education teachers (BTs) (in their first year of teaching) and six experienced physical education teachers (ETs) (who had been teaching for six years) took part in interviews and completed prompt sheets throughout the duration of a school year. The paper discusses ways in which one PETE program has attempted to use, and plans for future use of, BTs’ and ETs’ accounts of socialization to inform how best to prepare PSTs for the reality of teaching in schools.

Springer International Handbooks of Education, 2019

This chapter highlights the European contribution to the growing knowledge about self-study metho... more This chapter highlights the European contribution to the growing knowledge about self-study methodology. Europe is a patchwork of countries, cultures and languages. Looking at teacher educators in Europe, we see a broad variation in background, tasks and opportunities for professional development and self-study research. In this chapter we firstly map the development of self-study research in Europe which has mainly been the work of individuals and small groups. Then we focus on four countries that are in the forefront: England, Iceland, Ireland and the Netherlands. In all four countries self-study has proved to be a useful and stimulating way to aid the transition from being a teacher-or researcher-to becoming a teacher educator. Self-study methodology not only supported the understanding and development of the teacher education practice, but also led to identity development. Most helpful proved to be working together and mentoring, and sharing results publicly. In this context the role of the biannual S-STEP Castle Conference in England, which offers European self-study researchers to connect with colleagues from North America and Australia, plays an important role.

Teacher Educators and their Professional Development, 2021

curriculum development in physical education and sport education.

The main purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which Irish physical education teach... more The main purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which Irish physical education teachers promote continuity between curricular physical education and extra-curricular physical activities in post-primary schools. The latter denotes the provision of activities outside the formal (physical education) curriculum, which are not compulsory for all students but offered as optional activities (Penney & Harris, 1997), now also commonly referred to as out-of-school-hours learning or provision. Two particular issues discussed are ways in which physical education can help promote physical activity outside of the physical education class and the identification of factors that may hinder continuity between physical education and extra-curricular activities. The physical education curriculum, staffing and the school ethos arose as elements that have the potential to promote continuity between physical education and extra-curricular activities in Irish post-primary schools.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE Artigo acadêmico; Revisão; Pesquisa em educação física Abstract The purpose of thi... more PALAVRAS-CHAVE Artigo acadêmico; Revisão; Pesquisa em educação física Abstract The purpose of this article is to provide an introduction to the process of writing for publication in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, where three issues in particular are analyzed. The Þ rst one explains how to write an article for an international scientiÞ c publication, drawing the attention that it must be in accordance to the aims and the scope of the journal and that instructions regarding structure should be followed, as well as articles must be clear in regard to theory, method, results, conclusions, summary and key words. The second issue is a step-by-step guide to the review process, which involves the editor ́s Þ rst decision, the decision to return the submission to the author or select two reviewers to revise the article; the feedback given by the reviewers to the editor, which decides and communicates the author; and, if the author must re-submission the article, the way how it happen...

Redesigning Physical Education, 2018

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish any difference in terms of game performance a... more Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish any difference in terms of game performance and game involvement using Sport Education (SE) or a combined use of SE and Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU). In a bid to facilitate future implementation of these models, the study provides a rich description of the pedagogies arising during both interventions. Method: The participants were 85 fourth- and fifth-grade students (aged 9–11) from four physical education classes within one elementary school. The content was a 15-lesson season of basketball taught through the principles of SE or a combined use of SE and TGfU. The game performance assessment instrument was used in a systematic observation of video recordings of students’ game behavior. Results: In terms of decision making, support, overall game performance, and game involvement, a combined use of SE and TGfU unit overtakes the scores in SE. Conclusions: There is evidence that supporting the use of combined models in the ...

European Journal of Teacher Education, 2021

European Physical Education Review, 2020

This study develops an understanding of the relationships among personal accomplishment, resilien... more This study develops an understanding of the relationships among personal accomplishment, resilience, and teaching multiple school subjects role conflict (TMSS-RC) among Irish post-primary, multi-subject teachers. A theoretically informed conceptual framework was developed to explain the relationships among personal accomplishment, resilience, and the sub-domains of TMSS-RC: status conflict, schedule conflict, and energy expenditure. Participants included 259 post-primary teachers across Ireland who were responsible for teaching physical education and at least one other school subject concurrently. Participants completed a 46-item, cross-sectional survey consisting of a demographics questionnaire, the TMSS-RC scale, the personal accomplishment subscale from the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Educators Survey, and the 10-item version of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale. Concurrent confirmatory factor analysis was first used to confirm the psychometric quality of the hypothesised factor...

Professional Development in Education, 2021

We contend that the notion of critical friend is a legitimate consideration with respect to consi... more We contend that the notion of critical friend is a legitimate consideration with respect to considering how to most effectively encourage professional relationships that support and enhance profess...

Annals of Leisure Research, 2020

Sport, Education and Society, 2020

Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 2019

Purpose: To examine the impact of undertaking roles in Sport Education on responsibility levels o... more Purpose: To examine the impact of undertaking roles in Sport Education on responsibility levels of elementary school students. Method: Forty-one fifth- and sixth-grade students participated in a 15-lesson season. Students undertook five different roles into the Sport Education season and presented differing initial perceived responsibility scores. Results: Results in this study convey students’ responsibility improvements for both personal and social responsibility during a season of Sport Education. There are differences in students with low perceived responsibility depending on the role they undertake, whereas students with high perceived responsibility do not present any difference according to the role they perform. Conclusion: In the physical education context, the teachers have to consider the personal characteristics of the students in the process of mapping students to roles.