The State and Status of Physical Education in Schools in International Context

Abstract

Against a background of perceived threats to physical education, an investigative world-widesurvey of the state and status of physical education in schools funded by the International Olympic Committee was carried out in 1998–9. The survey findings, based on data collated from a globally administered semi-structured questionnaire and an extensive literature survey, reveal that school physical education is in a perilous position in all continental regions of the world. Specifically, the article addresses issues of legal status and actual implementation, restricted or decreasing curriculum time allocation, subject status and attitudes of headteachers, other teachers and parents, inadequacies in financial, material and human resources and teacher preparation, curriculum trends, as well as scepticism about the subject’s future. Concluding comments allude to the main sources of concern and international efforts to sustain physical education in schools in the next millennium.

Effectiveness of a School-Community Linked Program on Physical Activity Levels and Health-Related Quality of Life for Adolescent Girls

“…Others have reported institutional barriers to the provision of PE in Australian schools including restricted timetabling of PE and lack of access to facilities, equipment and suitable teaching spaces [63]. In addition, PE is often organised with a predisposition towards team games and development of sport skills [64], and therefore, a limited range of physical activities, which are not necessarily lifelong activities [65,66]. The intervention in this study included a traditional team sport (football), a lifestyle sport (tennis) and a range of lifestyle physical activities (leisure centre activities) that were linked to local facilities and programs to add value to the existing school PE program, which has been recommended by others [67].…”

A Descriptive Profile of Physical Education Teachers and Programs in Atlantic Canada

“…Their data noted a trend toward more physical education time allocated (in policy, yet not necessarily adhered to) in the lower grades with decreased amounts of time allocated in the higher grades (Hardman & Marshall, 2000a;Marshall & Hardman, 2000). Globally, it was common to have specialists at the secondary level and generalists at the elementary level.…”

“…Outside of Canada, Marshall (2000a, 2000b) and Marshall and Hardman (2000) have reported the results of an international survey of the state and status of physical education collected from 126 countries and autonomous provinces / states. Their data noted a trend toward more physical education time allocated (in policy, yet not necessarily adhered to) in the lower grades with decreased amounts of time allocated in the higher grades (Hardman & Marshall, 2000a;Marshall & Hardman, 2000).…”

The current situation of physical education according to teachers: A qualitative study with teachers from the Region of Murcia

“…Aunque diferentes manifestaciones de actividad física siempre han formado parte de los itinerarios educativos de distintas culturas desde la antigüedad y la educación física figura actualmente como asignatura obligatoria en el curriculum escolar de muchos países, se trata de una materia escolar que ocupa un estatus educativo bajo y recibe escasa valoración por parte de la comunidad educativa (Acha, Velázquez, & Moya, 2008;Comisión Europea/EACEA/ Eurydice, 2013;Marshall & Hardman, 2000). Estudios como el de Kougioumtzis, Patriksson, y Stråhl-man (2011) respecto al rol profesional del docente de educación física indican que hay una escasez de personal cualificado.…”