BERA – September 2006

A model training pathway for Primary PE Subject Specialism within an existent BA (Honours) Primary Education Programme

Lawry Price

RoehamptonUniversity

School of Education

London

SW15 5PJ

Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, University of Warwick, 6-9 September 2006

A model training pathway for Primary PE Subject Specialism within an existent BA (Honours) Primary Education Programme

BACKGROUND

The Physical Education subject specialism element of the BA Primary Education programme at Roehampton has existed since September 1998. In its development as a defined undergraduate pathway, which includesa recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status,it has been consistently evaluated and reviewed throughout the period of its existence to ensure its relevance and that it is up to date, indicative and reflective of the shifting agendas in play within the broader picture of teacher education.

In addition, the programme has benefited from an on-going longitudinal research project (Pickup & Price 2003, 2004, 2006; Price & Pickup 2004, 2004, 2005; Price, 2006)that has fed off its recipients’ own evaluations and reflections of the impact of their learning and how this has influenced their growing teacher competencies. This in turn has led to adjustments to content, delivery modes, and the set timings of when particular elements are scheduled within the overall design and structure of the programme. Moreover, the research conducted has facilitated an ongoing stream of information of how students acquire, develop and utilise their newly won knowledge and acquired skills,as well as identifying the “where to next” personalised agendas for its participants.

This paper presents a physical education subject specialism model pathway that equips its students with the necessary teaching skills, knowledge and expertise to teach effectively and to a high standard in primary schoolsettings. Additionally it offers, through its various processes and support mechanisms, the opportunities for students to monitor their own personal rationales and philosophies for the subject which in turn will enable them potentially to become articulate, well-informed coordinators for the subject as they move through their teaching careers. At a time of great importance and significance for the subject, against a backcloth of investment unseen previously in support of PE and School Sport provision, this particular model suggests a mature example of how to prepare trainee teachers to deliver curriculum physical education effectively for primary aged children. Moreover, it provides a vehicle through which an underpinning personalised rationale and evolving philosophy for the subject can develop for all of its participants. Additionally, it supports the notion of newly qualified teachers being reflective and self-critical of their practice in order to constantly be looking to improve their own effectiveness as practitioners.

PROGRAMME AIMS AND OUTCOMES

A central tenet of the programmeis to ensure that its participants develop, across the period of their studies and training, as full as possible an understanding of the nature, purpose and importance of physical education as it applies to the infant and childhood phases of learning. At the same time this learning and understanding needs to support an advocated and purposely promoted holistic approach to both the study and teaching of the subject. The model of subject specialism study presented within this programme is therefore an emphasised focus on the physical development of the individual child and on their growth and maturity as they move through the primary school. Students receive a comprehensive handbook at the start of their studies which clearly indicates the intended outcomes of the provision as well as alluding to the fact that a number of personal traits and qualities are necessary quite unique to the subject area:

“The BA Primary Education with Physical Education programme will equip you with the necessary subject knowledge, skills and understanding to ultimately take on a role as PE subject leader/curriculum coordinator, in an area of learning that makes heavy demands on an individual’s time, energies, commitment and enthusiasm.”

(BA Primary Education with Physical Education Programme Handbook)

It is clearly stated central aim of the programme that students develop personal qualities, expertise and knowledge in the field, and develop into a particular model of teacher that is identifiable as distinctive to all Initial Teacher Education courses at Roehampton (and elsewhere) - that of a ‘reflective practitioner,’ able to build on one’s own learning, and “to be able to plan exciting, motivational, meaningful and appropriate learning experiences for the pupils you have in your charge”.

The acknowledgement that each student will grow as a person over the three years of the programme is taken as read. The belief is held that for those pursuing a course of specialist study in physical education should also develop a particular approach to teaching that leads by example and is characterised by vitality, enthusiasm and consistent commitment throughout their daily practice. These should be clear aims in students minds as they set out on the route ahead and develop the professional skills demanded of teachers today. Above all, they are professional traits and characteristics that need to be established and built on from the very beginning of their exposure to programme content.

In summary, the model of subject specialism study provided by this programme is firmly focused on the physical development of the individual child, taking into account their growth and maturity as they go through the primary learning experience. The emphasis for students learning is on developing an increasing awareness and understanding of such characteristics, and in turn equipping would-be teachers with the skills to apply relevant and appropriate learning experiences for children that crucially take account of the particular stages of physical development of individual children. In essence the programme advocates what Gallahue and colleagues (1996, 1998 & 2003) term as a developmental approach to the teaching of the subject to primary aged children, further endorsed by Heywood (2000), Berger (1998), Jess (2004) and Graham et al (2004).

THE MODEL TRAINING PATHWAY –DESIGN AND STRUCTURE

The table on page 9 outlines the Physical Education (Primary) Subject Specialist courses and how they are scheduled to fit into overall course design across the three year BA Primary Education Programme as a whole. In total, students take 80 compulsory credits of Physical Education subject specialism- 20 at HE1F level, 30 at HE2 N level and 30 at HE3 X level. In addition students receive teaching in all core and foundation subjects of the National Curriculum, alongside professional teaching and learning courses, equipping them with skills and knowledge to deliver the whole primary curriculum upon graduation. All courses are compulsory for all students.

Year 1

In semester 1 of Year 1 PE (Primary) Subject Specialist students follow two compulsory HE1 F level courses. The module ITE010C521A - Motor Development Studies -provides an introduction to the study of motor development as it applies throughout life, and the theoretical framework for studying its processes. It is here that students are introduced to the concept of developmental physical education and the beginnings of adopting a reflective approach to teaching and learning. Following this course, ITE010C522A- Conception to Later Childhood - focuses on a variety of important developmental topics of infant, early and later childhood development. The skills learnt during this period, and the variety of factors that can affect motor development before birth, in early childhood (0-6years), and beyond to the later childhood period (6-11) are its focus. Both these Year 1 modules are underpinned with anatomical and physiological considerations pertinent to the growing child in the primary age phase.

Year 2

In Year 2, PE Subject Specialist students take three 10 credit HE2 N level courses. ITE010N523A - Theory to Practice 1: Primary School Skill Themes -applies theories of motor development to school practice through identified skill themes that primary aged children will confront in their motor skills learning. The practical aspects of this course utilize the activity areas of games, gymnastics, dance and athletics to illustrate and example where such skills learning takes place across the primary age range. ITE010C525Y -Subject Application 1 -Physical Education – explores in detail the PE National Curriculum documentation, and includes key issues relating to the teaching of PE across the Primary age range. Its particular activity area focus is on games, gymnastics, dance and athletics. ITE010N524S -Theory to Practice 2: Outdoor and Adventurous Activities -is a course that seeks to broaden students’ awareness of associated and distinct motor skills, specifically applied in new and unfamiliar environments. It is a residential course, sited in an educational off-campus centre, where the utilization of outdoor environments for learning purposes is emphasized, including the opportunities to focus on outdoor and adventurous activities.

Year 3

In year 3, PE specialists take three 10 credit HE3 X level courses. ITE010X526Y -Research and Enquiry in Primary Physical Education –looks atstudying a range of issues that surround the subject, and provides opportunities for students to conduct an in-depth study of a specific aspect of the subject area as it presents itself during their final block school experience (in the final semester of their programme). This course is part taught/part research based. ITE010X527S- Theory to Practice 3: Aquatic & Swimming Activities - considers the full range of physical skills developed within these activities, and explores issues of legislation, health and hygiene, child protection, body awareness, and the development of positive attitudes and self-confidence within physical skills in these particular learning environments. ITE010X528S - Subject Application 2: Subject Leadership - examinesthe specific qualities, knowledge, skills and understanding needed as a subject specialist to successfully coordinate the subject in primary schools. It provides an excellent bridge between initial teacher education/training and into first teaching post coming as it does after final school experience and before graduation, and helps to support and identify specific further training needs as newly qualified teachers.

All of the above described courses offer students opportunities to develop particular personal performance strengths through the delivery of the courses themselves, as well as in students’ own use of time beyond that spent in taught sessions.

Primary Physical Education Subject Specialist Modules
Autumn / Spring
YEAR 1 / ITE010C521A - Motor Development Studies
ITE010C522A- Conception to Later Childhood
YEAR 2 / ITE010N523A - Theory to Practice 1: Primary SchoolSkill Themes
ITE010C525Y - Subject Application 1 -Physical Education / ITE010N524S -Theory to Practice 2: Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
YEAR 3
Key:
A suffix –
Autumn taught
S suffix –
Spring taught
Y suffix –
Taught across both semesters / ITE010X526Y -Research and Enquiry in Primary Physical Education
/ ITE010X527S - Theory to Practice 3: Aquatic & Swimming Activities
ITE010X528S - Subject Application 2 :Subject Leadership

A RESEARCH INFORMED TEACHING MODEL

The design and structure of this programme has undergone significant change since its earliest inception back in 1998 (as reported in Price, L. 1999 – Validation, A Process Model). At one level, as part of due process, this has been informed by student evaluation, programme annual review (including revalidation) and external examiner’s reports. Of more significance, the impact of on-going longitudinal research into the student experience has informedchanges that have been built into the course design on a regular basis. This has coincided with a review of QTS standards during the period, two revalidations (the first of which necessitated a move from a four year to a three year programme), and adjustments to provision brought about by inevitable changes of staffing and different facilities to work in.

Research Stages – An Overview

A standard characteristic of the programme throughout its evolution has been the requirement for students to maintain a Physical Education Log/Journal. Taking a lead from the work of Carr, W. and Kemmis, S. (1986) on how educational knowledge through action research occurs,the function of this mechanism isseen as fourfold:

  1. To record reflective commentaries on personal learning accrued from taught lecture inputs in addition to student reading and research around their studies.
  2. To accumulate a personal collection of readings from a selection of sources, relating to the world of PE and Sport, with annotations noting personal learning and insight gleaned from the activity.
  3. To use the Log/Journal as a reference point for personal tutorials with allocated PE tutors throughout their period of training.
  4. To use as a feeder into Career Entry Profile (CEP), to inform continuing professional development, and to highlight specific subject knowledge needs as the students move into their NQT year.

As there had been a transfer within the period from one set of QTS standards to another in the period of this review, and a revalidation within the university from a 4 year programme to a 3 year model, an extra dimension was added to the research potential within the overall exercise. The tracking of reflective commentaries on personal learning using the Log/Journal tool was the focus of the first stage of this research (Pickup, I. and L.Price, 2003) with a particular focus on student’s perceptions of the subject as it evolved over their period of training and professional development.

The outcomes of the first stage of research were:

  • the identification of individual strengths and areas for continuing professional development with regard to specifically PE subject knowledge for the primary school curriculum;
  • the highlighting of the increasingly important role that newly qualified teachers play in the coordination of the subject as catalysts for improved PE provision in schools in a context (and era) of limited Inspectorate and Advisory Teacher support;
  • the beginnings of facilitating the ability to track career paths across successive undergraduate cohorts;
  • used to inform ongoing curriculum review and development for ITE programmes at Roehampton.

Second Stage Research

The follow up papers in the series (Price, L. and I.Pickup, 2004; Pickup, I. and L.Price, 2004;Price, L. and I.Pickup, 2004)examined further the conclusions drawn from first stage research and, for curriculum design purposes, the implications for the re-design of the BA Primary Education programme at Roehampton during 2003-04. This stage of the researchidentified three strands emerging as a result of its analysis:

1. The importance of subject knowledge in securing an effective start to teaching in first post and how this leads to early subject leader responsibilities - the graduation of successive cohorts, and their employment as teachers in the primary sector, presented further opportunity to research career development;

2. Initial conclusions drawn from the previous research had(already) informed significantly the changes to programme design and structure as a result of the revalidation of the BA Primary Education Programme (leading to QTS) at Roehampton during 2003-04;

3. Against a background of the implementation of the Physical Education, School Sport and Club Link Strategy (PESSCLS) such research highlighted the significant role that practitioners need to play in order to meet the desired outcomes of a government driven initiative.

Additionally this research examined literature in the field that looked at becoming a teacher and the importance of developing professionality/professionalism(Evans, 2002) and the novice, competent, expert model put forward by Pollard and Tann (1994). These studies suggest the use of strategies to promote the model of the “critically reflective teacher”and comply with Yost et al (2000) constructivist approaches which include strategies to engage and therefore promote critical reflection (and practice) in teacher education. The additional insights gleaned in how to use particular techniques and procedures in analyzing student response (as put forward by Strauss, A. & Corbin, J., 1998) was applied to ensure a grounded theoretical approach to the action research project as it developed.

In addition to building oninitial findingsthe researcher’sin these papers sought specifically to:

  • identify key themes that emerged as relevant and important to individual trainees as they develop a personal rationale for teaching primary school PE;
  • identify key factors,key momentsand events that potentially impact on the development of a personal rationale for teaching primary school PE;
  • identify key traits that are evident across the cohorts of recently qualified teachers (and particularly those who graduated in 2002 and 2003).

Further investigation was therefore entered into regarding the use of Log/Journals as a tool for monitoring students/graduates career development which included:

  • Updating cohort profiles against a background of meeting the demands of Qtt and specifically identifying CPD needs;
  • Further development of research methodology which would include semi-structured interviews with undergraduate student cohorts;
  • Contextualising the findings within the “changing climate for PE” (PESSCLS).

In essence this part of the research aimed to build on previously acquired understanding and probe deeper into an analysis of the process of rationale development during the process of undergraduate ITE. Previous stages of the overall study had identified key features of personal rationales and philosophies of primary PE specialists as they presented themselves at graduation. It was now pertinent to examine the unfolding events and experiences that play a role in the formation of each trainee teacher’s personal philosophy. The following research questions were therefore posed:

  1. What are the starting points for individual rationales and philosophies for teaching primary PE?
  2. How do these develop over the three year undergraduate course?
  3. What are the specific influences or critical events that shape a developing rationale and philosophy?
  4. How do rationales and philosophies change during NQT year?

The findings, conclusions and implications to be drawn from this study were informative and instructive and pointed forward to possible further investigations and useful insight to be gleaned from planned further research. Inevitably, they also were influential in determining the impact and effectiveness of programme content and timings of particular individual module input.

.

The starting points for teaching primary PE described by the 2004 intake of undergraduate trainees were clearly relevant and appropriate to today’s primary aged children- set against a climate of growing concern regarding health of the nation and positioned within the PESSCL strategy. The suggested themes that emerged through the analysis of the semi-structured group discussions also fit with Green’s (2000; 2002) physical education teacher ‘philosophies’ and could be seen to be based largely on their own physical education and sporting experiences.