Thorburn, Malcolm

English

The positioning of physical education in the school curriculum continues to reflect external discourses circulating in political and social milieu. As increasing austerity measures influence and restrict educational priorities, we consider that there is an urgent need for physical educationalists to articulate a rationale for an educational contribution which is worthy of investment and which avoids the pitfalls of conceptual ambiguity and/or reliance on narrowly drawn health evidence.We, therefore, write as teacher educators, working within a critical framework, who are concerned by the disconnection between competing visions of physical education, when examined from contemporary sociological and philosophical perspectives. With reference to the policy opportunities available in Scotland, we identify how cultivating salutogenic approaches, where a broad, but nevertheless coherent perspective on health and well-being is advanced could offer enhanced prospects for the centrality of physical education in education and schooling. However, apart from the contribution of Quennerstedt, quite how such approaches can be modelled in curriculum has received little critical attention. We see the potential in applying Tiberius’s philosophical and social psychological ideas on developing reflective wisdom and of nurturing in education productive experiences which can help pupils deepen their understanding of the health and well-being decisions they make and of the lives they choose to live. After reviewing the contextual influences on policy, we have begun to consider in embryonic terms the methodological possibilities for teachers as insightful and active curriculum decision makers in years to come. We conclude by summarising the benefits of re-conceptualising experiences in physical education in order to help pupils’ make informed decisions which are based on enhanced self-awareness and a perspective on the world that views physical education as an essentially optimistic and good endeavour which is worthy of sustained commitment

Edinburgh Research Explorer

A model for the teaching of games in secondary schools,

A theory of justice

After Virtue: a study in moral theory

Building a physically active and talent rich culture: An educationally sound approach,

Changing the subject: the educational implications of developing emotional well-being,

Curriculum and imagination: process theory, pedagogy and action research

Education reform: a critical and post-structural approach (Buckingham,

Enlivening the Curriculum of Health-Related Fitness, Educational Insights, Available online at:

Ethics and Education (London,

Exploring the relation between physical activity and health-a salutogenic approach to physical education,

Finding Pleasure in Physical Education: A Critical Examination of the Educative Value of Positive Movement Affects,

Global discourses and national reconstruction: the impact of globalization on curriculum policy,

Health and wellbeing: a policy context for physical education in Scotland, Sport, Education and Society, Available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13573322.2011.607948

Knowledge and the Curriculum (London, Routledge & Kegan Paul).

Locating quality physical education in early years pedagogy,

Mediatizing educational policy: the journalistic field, science policy, and cross‐field effects,

More than 10 years after ‘The horse is dead...’: Surely it must be time to ‘dismount’?,

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Physical Education Futures

Physical Education in Schools in European Context. In

Physical Education, in:

Playing a political game and playing for position: Policy and curriculum development in health and physical education.

Pragmatism, Purpose and Play: Struggle for the Soul of Physical Education,

Quality of Life and Wellbeing: Measuring the benefits of Culture and Sport (Edinburgh, Scottish Executive).

Reforming education and changing schools: case studies in policy sociology

Scottish Executive (2004a) The Report of the Review Group on Physical Education

Scottish Executive (2004b) A curriculum for excellence: The Curriculum Review Group (Edinburgh: Scottish Executive).

Scottish Government (2008a) Curriculum for Excellence: Building the Curriculum 3: A Framework for Learning and Teaching (Edinburgh, Scottish Government).

Scottish Government (2008b) Improving our curriculum through self-evaluation (Edinburgh, Scottish Government).

Sport Education. Quality PE through positive sport experience (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).

Sports coaching, virtue ethics and emulation,

Teachers and schooling making a difference: Productive Pedagogies, Assessment and Performance (Sydney,

Teaching in the knowledge society: education in the age of insecurity (Maidenhead,

Teaching responsibility through physical activity

The ‘obesity crisis’ and school physical education,

The Danger of Fun,

The Nature and Values of Physical Education, in: K. Green & K. Hardman (Eds) Physical Education: Essential Issues

The Reflective Life: Living wisely with our limits (Oxford,

The salutogenic model as a theory of health promotion,

Thinking differently about curriculum: Analysing the potential contribution of physical education as part of ‘health and wellbeing’ during a time of revised curriculum ambitions in Scotland, Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy,

Toward the Development of a Pedagogical Model for Health-Based Physical Education,

Value Pluralism and Physical Education,

Warning: Physical Education can seriously harm your health, in:

Welfare, Happiness and Ethics

Wisdom revisited: a case study in normative theorizing,

World Health Organisation

Grand Designs! Analysing the Conceptual Tensions associated with new Physical Education and Health and Wellbeing Curriculum

Grand Designs! Analysing the Conceptual Tensions associated with new Physical Education and Health and Wellbeing Curriculum

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Edinburgh Research Explorer