Towards a best-practice model of Physical Education

 

There is ample research that shows a healthy and active lifestyle can help prevent obesity, Type 2 diabetes and a range of other health issues. However, in recent years there have been growing concerns about our increasingly sedentary lifestyle. In her recent article, The Great Challenge for Physical Education , Associate Professor Cathrine Himberg from the Department of Kinesiology at the California State University said "Arguably, no other subject area, if taught well, has the potential to impact a student's quality of life as profoundly as physical education." We all know that schools face many pressures and in their efforts to address the high profile areas of literacy, numeracy and technology it is perhaps understandable that they have not had the opportunities to examine and refine their physical education program.

This research project funded by the Commonwealth Institute gives us the opportunity to do some important work in lifting the profile and effectiveness of physical and health teaching in our schools. In most cases we don't need more time or more equipment but we do need better practices and greater expertise. Our role in this research is to work with the Bluearth staff and primary teachers to develop a 'best practice' model for getting and keeping your kids active. The best practice model will work in two ways, first, to provide participating teachers with specialist skills and programs in their own schools and second, to better prepare trainee teachers to take on their roles in developing more active school communities.

In our research we will be observing teachers, students, and Bluearth coaches as they undertake the physical education programs. We will also be surveying teachers, parents and students to learn more about their physical activity levels and their attitudes. Our main aim is to get kids active in the short term and to give them the skills and appreciation of physical activity that will help keep them active for the rest of their lives. We know that kids have a natural tendency to be physically active; good teaching in this area can nurture this and in the process help to achieve better health outcomes in the future.