Learning to teach Physical Education: answering research questions across borders.

Abstract

Since 2015 lecturers and students from two institutes of education have been collaborating on short mobility projects together in the field of Physical Education (PE). The Haute Ecole Pédagogique (HEP) and Dublin City University (DCU), Institute of Education are collaborating together in PEERs projects, which aim to prepare each student teacher to become a global teacher in a global world. This is an innovative initiative offered to the students and the researchers of the HEP Vaud within the framework of the Peers programmes. PEERS projects bring together students as researchers within social networks projects and constitute an essential opening to the world for all the participants. An international project is planned by alternating face to face and distance learning with peers who live on the other side of the world. The topic was related to Physical Education over the five years of the project (PE) and was broadly concerned with inclusion of children with special needs in PE lessons and enhancing quality teaching and learning within PE (through examination of critical incidents, academic learning time or formative assessment in PE for example).

Method From autumn 2014 to autumn 2018, Swiss students and a lecturer spent a week in October in Dublin, Ireland, each Swiss student hosted by an Irish student. From February 2015 to February 2019, Irish students and a lecturer spent a week in Lausanne in Switzerland, each Irish student hosted by a Swiss student. The participants for each of the five years were two teacher educators (n=2) of physical education and between six and ten student teachers (half Swiss and half Irish), (n=38). Physical education lesson observations (n=40) in schools in Ireland followed by in the canton of Vaud were the focus to explore the topic. The observations were followed up with university meetings to reflect on the two broad elements underpinning the topic: (i) inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in PE, and (ii) provision of quality PE in both countries, through investigating critical incidents, academic learning time or formative assessment. The overall aim of the observations was to reflect on the implications for the teaching of PE by the students and by teachers as well as the implications for children in PE classes. Students also shared social and cultural experiences. An initial and a final focus group interview (n=10) were conducted by the university lecturers investigating the students’ perceptions of their learning from the PEERS project underpinned by the concept of becoming global teachers. All interviews have been recorded and transcribed. The students documented their learning as part of their final year coursework in both the Irish and Swiss universities.

Results Regarding the first element of the project ‘All children enjoying and learning in PE lessons’, the desire to encourage more inclusive practices in school that allows stakeholders to develop an attitude of openness and to demonstrate an awareness of one’s responsibility to promote an attitude of openness towards others (Plan d’études romand, formation générale) was evident among the students. Following the international mobility program the student teachers reported an increased awareness of ‘little things’ like teaching strategies and teacher qualities to include children with special needs in their PE lessons. Content of the lessons is similar in both contexts and how we teach. However, the smaller class sizes and better equipped Swiss context allow for additional feedback and increased physical activity. Similar pedagogical issues arise both at primary and secondary level regardless of country. Some activities are context/country specific and related to the national culture such as ice-hockey and Gaelic Games, though the students recognized that these activities could be taught in their respective countries – bringing global experiences to their classes. With regard to assessment of PE they collaborated with their peers to identify opportunities for assessment in the lessons observed concluding that there were instances where further clarity related to the focus of the assessment could enhance learning. Finally, observing good practice and noting how teachers capitalize on opportunities for assessment and for inclusion as well as reflecting on critical incidents was a valuable learning experience for both students and lecturers. Students in both countries reported that they benefitted hugely from the opportunity to see the practices in their own country and in the country that they visited. One lecturer commented: Although there were differences between the Irish and the Swiss students…some were training to be generalist teachers others to be specialist teachers, some were undergraduate students, some were postgraduate students…yet they shared the same goal: that children learn during the PE lesson…[there were] lots of differences but the same goals [extract from final audio recorded interview].

Discussion In addition to the professional discussions, class observations and research meeting, the cultural exchange varied from experiencing hill walking, skiing, ice skating and gymnastics to visiting a church, a brewery, a chocolate factory, a thermal bath, an ice hockey game, a musical performance and a museum. All students and lecturers agreed that these were very significant in terms of sharing cultures and allowing time and space for students and lecturers to meet and discuss shared interests while the hosting in homes was also significant.

Conclusion Such a significant contribution by teachers in Ireland and Switzerland should be acknowledged: the team is very grateful to the teachers who co-operated with this project in Dublin and in the county Vaud. They welcomed us to observe their lessons and to engage in discussion with them about their teaching. The value of our PEERS link cannot be overestimated: it represents one significant step in bringing us closer to becoming global teachers linked through our shared interest in PE underpinned by our desire to explore it further. This experience for the students and the lecturers is an invaluable experience that allows all the actors to share good practices, to talk about class observations, to prompt openminded attitudes and to take a significant step towards becoming a global teacher in a global world.