A major review of stakeholder perspectives on the purposes of primary physical education

Abstract

While there may be some broad agreement about the purposes of primary physical education, there is dramatic variance in how these purposes are prioritised and enacted. Primary physical education consequently focusses on multiple, often competing, priorities. To gain a better understanding of this issue we review how different stakeholders view the purposes of primary physical education. We analysed 95 qualitative studies published between 2000 and 2017 that focussed on the views of different stakeholders. Across all stakeholders, the main purposes of primary physical education were identified as being physically active and learning physical, social, and emotional skills. Teachers and pupils were the most represented stakeholders, while the limited representation of school principals and policy makers was noted. The review indicates a need to examine the perspectives of those underrepresented stakeholders, serving as an entry point for bridge-building to shape the future direction of primary physical education.

Simplistic policy, skewed consequences: Taking stock of English physical education, school sport and physical activity policy since 2013

“…Debates about appropriate policy goals, and the mix of differing goals, for PESSPA are long-standing and well-represented in academic literature (e.g. Carse et al, 2018; Kirk and Gorely, 2000; Ní Chróinín et al, 2020). Educational outcomes that some consider to be fundamental to the purpose of PE sit, often uncomfortably, alongside aspirations that schools should serve as an initial environment for the identification and development of young people with potential to achieve competitive sporting success (Jung et al, 2016).…”

Factors that Influence Canadian Generalist and Physical Education Specialist Elementary School Teachers’ Practices in Physical Education: A Qualitative Study

“…Similarly, McEvoy and colleagues (2017) explored the views of 14 PE teachers from seven countries regarding the purpose(s) of PE, and the general consensus was that PE should prepare young people for a lifetime of physical activity. Likewise, a review of 95 qualitative studies that focused on stakeholders' (i.e., teachers, pupils, principals, policy makers) views on the purpose of PE identified children being active and learning physical, social, and emotional skills as outcome goals of PE (Ní Chróinín et al, 2019). Alternatively, the philosophies for generalists in the current study when teaching PE appeared to be centred on keeping children moving throughout their class, with seemingly little regard for developing physical literacy skills.…”

Preservice classroom teachers’ views and experiences of teaching physical education: Does taking a physical education specialization matter?

“…The process of becoming a teacher is complex and multifaceted. For that reason, scholars have been calling for more descriptions of teachers' views on how they learn to teach (Ní Chróinín and O'Sullivan, 2016;Ní Chróinín et al, 2020;O'Sullivan, 2005). As O'Sullivan (2003) suggested, to understand the process of learning to teach and how teachers learn, we need to investigate how teachers' views are formed during a learning experience.…”

“…The literature also suggested that further attention should be given to preservice classroom teachers’ (PCTs’) views and experiences of teaching PE (Fletcher and Mandigo, 2012; Ní Chróinín et al, 2020). Scholars argued that there is a need for researchers to investigate this domain further since in many countries PE is taught by classroom teachers 1 and, as such, concerns have been raised regarding the quality of PE (Ní Chróinín et al, 2020; Petrie, 2010; Randall and Griggs, 2021).…”

“…The literature also suggested that further attention should be given to preservice classroom teachers’ (PCTs’) views and experiences of teaching PE (Fletcher and Mandigo, 2012; Ní Chróinín et al, 2020). Scholars argued that there is a need for researchers to investigate this domain further since in many countries PE is taught by classroom teachers 1 and, as such, concerns have been raised regarding the quality of PE (Ní Chróinín et al, 2020; Petrie, 2010; Randall and Griggs, 2021). A substantial issue relates to whether these teachers have the necessary knowledge to teach PE (Truelove et al, 2021; Tsangaridou, 2012) as PE teacher education for PCTs is limited, usually to one course, and does not sufficiently prepare them to deliver quality PE (Freak and Miller, 2017).…”