The Global Provision of Physical Education in Schools: stimulating debate and shaping policy
Submitting Institution
University of WorcesterUnit of Assessment
Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and TourismSummary Impact Type
HealthResearch Subject Area(s)
Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Education: Curriculum and Pedagogy
Summary of the impact
Lack of physical activity can lead to obesity and a number of chronic
conditions such as cardio-vascular
diseases and diabetes, which reduce quality of life, put individuals'
lives at risk and are a
burden on health budgets and the economy. The importance of embedding
physical activity in
education is widely recognised by governments and other organisations with
a health agenda. A
body of research surveying the provision of physical education (PE) in
schools across the globe
and assessing the quality of training for those delivering PE has
stimulated policy debate and
development within the European Union, shaped policy within UNESCO and fed
into the
International Olympic Committee's recommendations for improving the health
and fitness of young
people through physical activity and sport.
Underpinning research
Since 2003, Professor Ken Hardman has held a variety of research
leadership roles at the
University of Worcester (Visiting Professor, Emeritus Professor). During
this time he has
undertaken a significant body of research, partly in collaboration with
Worcester Colleagues (Dr Jo
Marshall, 2005-07; Professor Derek Peters, 2001-present; Karen Van Berlo,
1999-present)
focused on the global provision of physical education (PE) in schools and
the implications for child
health of this provision and, simultaneously, the provision and
effectiveness of training for PE
teachers across Europe.
Global Provision of PE
In 2005, as part of the United Nations Year of Sport & Physical
Education, Hardman and Marshall
were commissioned by the International Council of Sport Science and
Physical Education
(ICSSPE) to undertake a second worldwide survey of PE. The survey sought
to assess the
worldwide provision of school PE and note developments since the Berlin
Physical Education
Summit in 1999 and their first worldwide survey published in 2002. A
multi-method approach was
adopted with analysis of a range of sources comprising global, national
and regional surveys,
continental regional and national PE-related projects, case studies and a
comprehensive literature
review. The pluralistic methods facilitated data collection on national
level policies and practice-related
issues in school PE, the PE curriculum, resources (human and material),
the PE
environment (school subject and PE teacher status; and pathway links to PE
activity in out-of-school
settings) and `Best Practice' exemplars.
Outcomes of the survey were reported in progress on a European level (see
References 1 and 3)
and on a global level (see Reference 4). The final survey report (Reference
5) found encouraging
policy actions had been made to reverse the previously identified
marginalisation of the PE
curriculum; however, many of these policies had been slow to action and
consequently the survey
findings reported that:
(i) PE was not being implemented in line with policy
(ii) there was a lack of allocated curriculum time for PE
(iii) teachers were inadequately trained, especially in primary education
(iv) there were inadequate PE facilities and equipment due to restricted
funding
(v) there was a lack of provision and links with community sport
programmes and facilities
The survey further identified a focus on competitive sport experiences
which limited participation
rather than expanding horizons. The research also questioned the
effectiveness of various global,
national and regional charters and policies since the survey reported no
change in the state of PE
in economically under-developed countries and variation in the actual
level of compliance to policy
at local level and extensive commentary from survey respondents that
practice does not match
policy. Subsequent research has examined the effectiveness of programmes
run by governmental
and non-governmental organisations to promote health in children and youth
through sports and
physical activity (Reference 6).
European Provision of Training for PE teachers
The collaborative AEHESIS (Aligning a European Higher Educational
Structure In Sport Science)
Project ran from 2003-6 funded through the EU Socrates programme (see Grant
a). It sought to
map the existing provision of sports science education in European Higher
Education Institutions
across four identified areas in order to develop a commonly accepted
framework of professional
and learning outcomes in the area of sport science; a methodology for
analysing and comparing
university programmes across Europe; and a model curriculum structure for
each identified area.
Hardman led on the PE strand. It was concluded in the final report that a
framework of standards
for PE teachers needed to be established with a base of at least minimal
expectations of all
teachers with responsibility for delivery of PE programmes (Reference 2).
References to the research
1. Hardman, K. (2006). Promise or reality? Physical education in schools
in Europe, Compare: A
Journal of Comparative and International Education, 36(2), 163-79.
DOI: 10.1080/03057920600741156.
2. Hardman, K. et al. (2006). `PE Area Report', in Petry, K., Froberg, K.
& Madella, A. (eds.),
AEHESIS, Report of the Third Year, Institut für Europäische
Sportentwicklung und
Freizeitstudien, DSHK, Köln, DSHK.
3. Hardman, K. (2008). The Situation of Physical Education in Schools: a
European Perspective.
Human Movement, 9(1), 1-14. DOI: 10.2478/v10038-008-0001-z.
4. Hardman, K. (2008). Physical Education in Schools: a Global
Perspective. Kinesiology, 40(1),
5-28.
5. Hardman, K. & Marshall, J.J. (2009). Second World-wide Survey
of School Physical
Education. Final Report. Berlin, ICSSPE.
6. Micheli, L., Mountjoy M., Engebretsen, L., Hardman, K., Kahlmeier, S.,
Lambert, E.,
Ljungqvist, A., Matsudo, V., McKay, H. & Sundberg, C.J. (2011).
Fitness and health of children
through sport: the context for action, British Journal of Sports
Medicine 45(11), 931-6. DOI:
10.1136/bjsports-2011-090237.
Grants
a. Ken Hardman (Co-Investigator), AEHESIS (Aligning a European Higher
Educational Structure
In Sport Science), 2003-6, EU Socrates Programme, €137,145.
The submitting unit is confident that the research referenced here meets
the 2* threshold.
Reference 5 has been widely cited (39 times) and has become a key
reference point for research
in this area. The same is true of Reference 3 (cited 37 times) and 6
(cited 7 times). Reference 2 is
the project report from a funded project where the funding was won in open
competition.
Details of the impact
Since the 2007 publication of the White Paper on Sport, sport has
had a prominent place in the
European Union's policy agenda. Within this wider agenda, the role of
sport and physical activity in
education and training has held a central position, reflected, for
example, in the European Union
Work Plan for Sport 2011-2014 which established an expert group for
`Education and Training in
Sport'. Hardman's research has stimulated debate and influenced the
development of policy in this
area.
In 2006, Hardman was commissioned by the European Parliament's committee
on Culture and
Education to undertake a study to review the present state of PE in
schools across Europe and to
make recommendations for its future development (Source A). Key
recommendations included
making PE compulsory, the development of a `basic needs' model for PE, a
reappraisal of PE's
place within the curriculum and enhancement of training for PE teachers.
The study formed part of
the explicit evidence base for the November 2007 resolution of the
European Parliament on the
role of sport in education (Source B). The resolution echoes many
of the recommendations in
Hardman's report. The resolution has fed into subsequent policy
development across the REF
period: for example, it is referenced in European Parliament resolution of
2 February 2012 on the
European dimension in sport (Source C).
In addition, the commissioned study was part of the evidence base for the
European Commission's
White Paper on Sport (Source D). The White Paper was
accepted by a resolution of the European
Parliament in May 2008 (Source E), a resolution that has also fed
into all subsequent policy
development.
Hardman has worked closely with UNESCO, the United Nations' lead agency
for Physical
Education and Sport, and his research has informed its policy. In 2012, he
was invited by
UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport
(CIGEPS) to develop a
set of international indicators on Quality Physical Education,
international indicators on Quality
Physical Education Teacher Training and a corresponding Basic Needs Model
(Source F). This
project was reported at the Fifth International Conference of Ministers
and Senior Officials
Responsible for Physical Education and Sport held in Berlin in May 2013
and explicitly informed
the discussion (Source G).
Hardman was also invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to
form part of an expert
group to discuss the role of physical activity and sport on the health and
fitness of young people
and to critically evaluate the scientific evidence as a basis for decision
making. The final statement
(Source H) aimed to provide recommendations for young people's
sport and physical activity
stakeholders.
Sources to corroborate the impact
A. Hardman, K. (2007) Current situation and prospects for physical
education in the European
Union. Report for European Parliament's committee on Culture and
Education.
B. European Parliament resolution of 13 November 2007 on the role of
sport in education.
C. European Parliament resolution of 2 February 2012 on the European
dimension in sport.
D. Commission staff working document The EU and Sport: Background and
Context.
Accompanying document to the White Paper on Sport, July 2007.
[http://www.eyv2011.eu/resources-library/item/download/89]
E. European Parliament resolution of 8 May 2008 on the White Paper on
Sport.
F. Permanent Consultative Council Meeting, International Olympic
Committee Headquarters,
Lausanne, Switzerland, Room Coubertin, Château de Vidy, 17 April 2012.
[http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002182/218286e.pdf].
G. Fifth International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials
Responsible for Physical
Education and Sport (MINEPS V) Berlin, Germany, 29 - 30 May 2013, Final
Report,
paragraph 16. [http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002228/222898e.pdf].
H. Consensus statement on the health and fitness of young people through
physical activity and
sport, Lausanne, January 2011.
[http://www.olympic.org/Documents/Commissions_PDFfiles/Medical_commission/Fitness%20_Health_Consensus_statement.pdf]