Exploring the Personal, Social and Occupational Elements of Teacher Professional Development

In a neoliberal political context, educational reform is seen as largely dependent on the individual teacher and his or her ability to continue developing and improving his or her practice with the ultimate goal of improving student outcomes. Professional development (PD) is therefore reliant on teachers to embrace new models of practice, to engage with these new approaches, to correctly interpret the PD ideas for application to the teaching and learning process, and ultimately implement new models and ideas in their classrooms (Huber & Hiltmann, 2011). This paper seeks to examine more closely three aspects of PD that have been found in the research literature to have a significant impact on the effectiveness of PD programs, because of their focus on, and consideration of the individual teacher. Aligning with Fraser, Kennedy, Reid, and McKinney (2007), successful PD programs that have a distinct focus on the personal, social and occupational aspects of teacher development will be discussed

Improving health-related fitness in children: the fit-4-Fun randomized controlled trial study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Declining levels of physical fitness in children are linked to an increased risk of developing poor physical and mental health. Physical activity programs for children that involve regular high intensity physical activity, along with muscle and bone strengthening activities, have been identified by the World Health Organisation as a key strategy to reduce the escalating burden of ill health caused by non-communicable diseases. This paper reports the rationale and methods for a school-based intervention designed to improve physical fitness and physical activity levels of Grades 5 and 6 primary school children.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Fit-4-Fun is an 8-week multi-component school-based health-related fitness education intervention and will be evaluated using a group randomized controlled trial. Primary schools from the Hunter Region in NSW, Australia, will be invited to participate in the program in 2011 with a target sample size of 128 primary schools children (age 10-13). The Fit-4-Fun program is theoretically grounded and will be implemented applying the Health Promoting Schools framework. Students will participate in weekly curriculum-based health and physical education lessons, daily break-time physical activities during recess and lunch, and will complete an 8-week (3 × per week) home activity program with their parents and/or family members. A battery of six health-related fitness assessments, four days of pedometery-assessed physical activity and a questionnaire, will be administered at baseline, immediate post-intervention (2-months) and at 6-months (from baseline) to determine intervention effects. Details of the methodological aspects of recruitment, inclusion criteria, randomization, intervention program, assessments, process evaluation and statistical analyses are described.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The Fit-4-Fun program is an innovative school-based intervention targeting fitness improvements in primary school children. The program will involve a range of evidence-based behaviour change strategies to promote and support physical activity of adequate intensity, duration and type, needed to improve health-related fitness.</p> <p>Trial Registration No</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12611000976987.aspx">ACTRN12611000976987</a></p

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Using Peer-Dialogue Assessment (PDA) for Improving Pre-Service Teachers\u27 Perceived Confidence and Competence to Teach Physical Education

Developing effective methods for improving student learning in higher education is a priority. Recent findings have shown that feedback on student work can effectively facilitate learning if students are engaged as active participants in the feedback cycle; where they seek, generate and use feedback in the form of dialogue. This novel study investigates the use of peer dialogue assessment as an assessment for learning tool used in an existing undergraduate physical education course. Our findings demonstrate that when thirty six undergraduate physical education students were provided with instruction and practice using peer dialogue assessment after consecutive teaching performances, they exhibit significant improvements in perceived teaching confidence and competence, and teaching self-efficacy. Process evaluation results implying thatembedding peer dialogue assessment in higher education courses may be a feasible approach for facilitating learning, and that students were satisfied with using peer dialogue as a feedback method for improving teaching practices

A Historical Review of Physical Education in China (1949-2020)

With the drastic changes in the historical context, political and social reconstructions played a significant role in the formation of the contemporary education system in China as well as other countries around the world. Based on the chronicled outline of past revolutions in the Chinese society, this paper aims to provide a broad historical overview of the history and development of physical education (PE) in China since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. The process of PE reform in China occurred in four distinct stages, including the Initial Establishment Stage (1949 to 1956), the Exploration Period (1956 to 1966), the Regression Era (1966 to 1976), and the Era of Renaissance and Transformation (1979 to present). This historical review describes the development of PE as a curriculum area across these four critical periods and includes an analysis of historical contexts, policies, faculty training, curriculum settings, and pedagogical content in PE. This paper focuses mainly on PE within elementary and secondary schools in China, accompanied by a brief introduction to college PE in China. Through an examination of the four distinct stages of PE reform in China, a comprehensive understanding of the overall development of PE within these historical periods is presented. Inspired by the development of the educational system in China, a touch on the physical education concepts in countries around the world will also be included. The systematic review on international PE establishments serves to provide a general idea of how future improvements can be adapted to the trend of globalization and other potential public transformations

The Kick-Smart Program: A Randomised Feasibility Trial Evaluating the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Primary-School Based Martial Arts Program Integrating Mathematics, Physical Fitness and Well-Being

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the ‘Kick-Smart’ martial arts programme using a randomised controlled-trial conducted in one Australian primary school. Kick-Smart involved children 9-11yrs (n= 46) randomised into treatment or wait-list control conditions. Kick-Smart consisted of 2x60min curriculum sessions/week for 6-weeks during school hours. Positive feedback was received from students and teachers regarding program enjoyment, perceived benefits and future plans. Significant treatment effects favouring the Kick-Smart group for muscular fitness and mathematics achievement demonstrates preliminary efficacy. Findings indicate Kick-Smart is feasible for delivery in a primary school setting and effective for improving selected fitness and academic outcomes. Further evidence for the effectiveness of Kick-Smart via a larger randomised control trial is recommended

Evaluating the Impact of Two Dialogical Feedback Methods for Improving Pre-Service Teacher's Perceived Confidence and Competence to Teach Physical Education Within Authentic Learning Environments

This novel study investigates the effectiveness of two dialogical feedback methods, peer dialogue assessment and dialogical feedback provided by an academic, when they are used as assessment as learning tools in undergraduate physical education courses. Education students from the University of Newcastle, Australia (n=288), participated in this investigation and completed eight weeks of face-to-face on-campus physical education studies followed by a 3 or 4 week in-school teaching program (~1.5 hrs/week). Students engaged in either peer dialogue assessment or dialogue provided by an academic at the completion of each concurrent teaching session with their respective peer group or academic. Both feedback groups exhibited equivalent and significant improvements in teaching self-efficacy, teaching competence and teaching confidence. This study provides support for embedding formative assessment tasks in an authentic teaching environment in undergraduate physical education courses, and using dialogical feedback (peer or academic) to facilitate reflection and furthering learning in this context

Can continuing professional development utilizing a game-centered approach improve the quality of physical education teaching delivered by generalist primary school teachers?

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention in producing changes in physical education (PE) teaching practice and PE teaching quality by generalist primary school teachers when the CPD addressed the use of a game-centred approach. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in seven primary schools in the Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia. One year six teacher from each school was randomized into the Professional Learning for Understanding Games Education (PLUNGE) intervention ( n = 4 teachers) or the 7-week wait-list control ( n = 3) condition. The PLUNGE intervention (weeks 1–5) used an instructional framework to improve teachers’ knowledge, understanding and delivery of a game-centred curriculum, and included an information session and weekly in-class mentoring. The intervention was designed to enhance content and pedagogical knowledge for the provision of pedagogy focused on a broad range of learning outcomes. Teaching quality was assessed at baseline and follow-up (weeks 6 and 7) via observation of two consecutive PE lessons using the Quality Teaching Lesson Observation Scales. Linear mixed models revealed significant group-by-time intervention effects ( p &lt; 0.05) for the quality of teaching (effect size: d = 1.7). CPD using an information session and mentoring, and a focus on the development of the quality of teaching using a game-centred pedagogical approach was efficacious in improving the quality of PE teaching among generalist primary school teachers. </jats:p

High-intensity interval training on cognitive and mental health in adolescents

PURPOSE: Emerging literature suggests that physical activity and fitness may have a positive impact on cognitive and mental health for adolescents. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of two high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols for improving cognitive and mental health outcomes (executive function, psychological wellbeing, psychological distress and physical self-concept) in adolescents. METHODS: Participants (n=65; mean age=15.8&plusmn;0.6) were randomized to three conditions: aerobic exercise program (AEP; n=21), resistance and aerobic exercise program (RAP; n=22) and control (n=22). HIIT sessions (8-10min/session) were delivered during physical education lessons or at lunchtime three times/week for 8-weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline and immediate post-intervention to detect changes in executive function (Trail Making Test, TMT), psychological wellbeing, psychological distress and physical self-description, by researchers blinded to treatment allocation. Intervention effects were examined using linear mixed models. Cohen\u27s d effect sizes and clinical inference were also calculated. RESULTS: Small improvements in executive function (d=-0.32, 95%CI -9.12 to 9.77; p=0.386) and psychological wellbeing (d=0.34, 95%CI -1.73 to 2.37; p=0.252) were evident in the AEP group. Moderate improvements in executive function (d=-0.51, 95% CI -8.92 to 9.73; p=0.171), and small improvements in wellbeing (d=0.35, 95%CI -1.46 to 2.53; p=0.219) and perceived appearance (d=0.35, 95%CI -0.74 to 0.41; p=0.249), were observed for the RAP group. Mean feelings state scores improved from pre-workout to post-post workout in both HIIT conditions, with significant results for the AEP (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of embedding HIIT within the school day for improving cognitive and mental health among adolescents

The PLUNGE randomized controlled trial:Evaluation of a games-based physical activity professional learning program in primary school physical education

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of the Professional Learning for Understanding Games Education (PLUNGE) program on fundamental movement skills (FMS), in-class physical activity and perceived sporting competence. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial involving one year six class each from seven primary schools (n = 168; mean age = 11.2 years, SD = 1.0) in the Hunter Region, NSW, Australia. In September (2013) participants were randomized by school into the PLUNGE intervention (n = 97 students) or the 7-week wait-list control (n = 71) condition. PLUNGE involved the use of Game Centered curriculum delivered via an in-class teacher mentoring program. Students were assessed at baseline and 8-week follow-up for three object control FMS (Test of Gross Motor Development 2), in-class physical activity (pedometer steps/min) and perceived sporting competence (Self-perception Profile for Children). Results: Linear mixed models revealed significant group-by-time intervention effects (all p < 0.05) for object control competency (effect size: d = 0.9), and in-class pedometer steps/min (d = 1.0). No significant intervention effects (p > 0.05) were observed for perceived sporting competence. Conclusions: The PLUNGE intervention simultaneously improved object control FMS proficiency and in-class PA in stage three students