Health and physical education (HPE) teachers in primary schools: supplementing the debate. doi: 10.13140/2.1.2889.6644 (original) (raw)
Related papers
Curriculum Perspectives
The purpose of this paper was to extend understanding of the studied phenomenon: primary school Physical Education (PE) specialist teachers’ experiences of teaching Health Education and Physical Education within the Learning Area Health and Physical Education (HPE) in their schools. Figurational sociology guided the research, which employed an explanatory sequential mixed methodology consisting of an online survey with 94 participants, followed by semi-structured interviews with 11 purposively sampled participants. Survey data indicated participants perceived their students undertook approximately one hour of HPE each week, except for Kindergarten students, who completed just over 40 minutes. This is less than the notional 80 hours a year recommended for delivering the subjects Health Education (HE) and Physical Education (PE) within the Australian Curriculum. Participants perceived HPE delivery in their primary schools was predominantly PE focused, and therefore, HE was ‘falling be...
Concerns about low levels of children's physical activity and motor skill development, prompted the Ministry of Education to trial a physical activity pilot project (PAPP) in 16 New Zealand primary schools. The project comprised professional development and training in physical education for lead teachers and introduced four physical activity coordinators to liaise with and increase physical activity opportunities in the pilot schools. A survey of generalist teachers (128 baseline, 155 post-intervention) from these schools looked at timetabled physical activity sessions and issues related to teaching physical education. The authors calculated means and standard deviations of data relating to timetabled PE sessions and used a one-way analysis of variance to determine significant differences. Results indicated time devoted to physical activity related subjects significantly increased over the course of the intervention. Teacher's reported improved confidence and competence, which resulted in an improvement in quality physical education delivered more often.
Health and physical education (HPE): Implementation in primary schools
This research investigates Australian Government Primary School Principal perceptions of how health and physical education (HPE) is implemented. Principals of primary schools in the state of Victoria (Australia) were deliberately chosen as participants as they are key school leaders who have a high degree of autonomy and power to improve the quality of teaching. The Victorian state Government Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) first listed outcome for children 0–8 years is: ‘children have the best start to life to achieve optimal health, development and wellbeing’. Hence, this research offers pertinent results and recommendations in achieving this outcome. The data were gathered using ex-post facto surveys completed by 138 principal participants from a cross section of schools. The key findings were that principals: (1) strongly desire to have specialist HPE teachers in their schools; and (2) want HPE specialist teachers who are interested in and want to be working with primary aged children. Furthermore, there was strong interest in HPE specialists who are able, willing and qualified to teach as generalist classroom teachers. 2015 Elsevier Ltd
55th ICHPER-SD Anniversary World Congress & Exposition, 2013
This research investigated Australian Government Primary School Principal’s perceptions of a University Pre-service Teacher Education course where the graduate teacher is qualified as a generalist primary classroom teacher and a Health and Physical Education specialist. Research suggests that the optimum time for children to learn and refine their motor skills and to be introduced to positive HPE experiences is during preschool and early primary school years. The research data was gathered using surveys completed by 138 government primary school principal participants in the state of Victoria, a large number considering the demanding role of school principal. There were two ethical clearances that were granted before this research was conducted. They were the ethical clearance from Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC) and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). The key findings were that Principals: 1) strongly desire to have specialist HPE teachers in their schools; 2) want HPE specialist teachers who are interested and want to be working with primary aged children. Furthermore, HPE specialists who are able, willing and qualified to teach as generalist classroom teachers. Such a course requires a tertiary education structural change and would involve for the first time in Australia’s history, primary education pre-service teachers being given the opportunity within their university courses to specialise in developmentally appropriate Health and Physical Education.
HPE (Health and Physical Education) is one of the six compulsory Key Learning Areas (KLAs) in Primary Education in New South Wales (NSW) schools. Teachers are required to ensure their classes participate in both a practical and a theory lesson each week. Despite this mandatory obligation, Morgan (2008) has indicated that both preservice teachers and practicing teachers would rather teach the other KLAs, regardless of the reported educational value of HPE. The quality of Physical Education (PE) in NSW primary schools has been questioned because teachers have experienced problems while teaching this subject . Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the feelings and thoughts of pre-service teachers towards teaching PE. An anonymous open-question survey (Saris and Gallhofer, 2007) was used with a cohort of pre-service teachers studying in the Master of Teaching (Primary) program at the University of Western Sydney. The study explored areas such as previous education, professional life and previous involvement with sports and physical activity, feelings about teaching HPE, and their impact on their willingness to teach PE. Using a qualitative analysis of responses produced an amalgamation of their discourses Knijnik, 2006). Three different categories emerged from their responses. These will be discussed as well as implications for effective teaching practices, inclusivity and health oriented HPE practices within all NSW primary schools.
Classroom Teachers and the Challenges of Delivering Quality Physical Education
Journal of Educational Research, 2005
The authors investigated the quality of physical education at 2 elementary schools—1 in which generalist instructors taught physical education and 1 in which a physical education specialist delivered a schoolwide program. Set within the context of increasingly marginalized public school physical education, the discussion incorporates ethnographic data that illustrate the differences in program quality at both schools. The authors present notional support for physical education and practical challenges faced by classroom teachers at the generalist school. Features of the specialist program illustrate how children benefit from educationally sound and well-planned programs.