Comparison of health and physical education policies with practices: an evaluation of school responses within three Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) primary schools (2005)

The purpose of this study was to compare the ideals of the Queensland P-10 Health and Physical Education (HPE) syllabus as a curriculum policy, with what was happening in practice, the teaching of Health and Physical Education in schools. It was envisaged that through this process good practice within schools could be identified and its implementation promoted. This paper is the first research within Queensland to investigate the ideals for quality Health and Physical Education, in comparison to what is actually occurring in practice. Comparison of Health and Physical Education policies with practices: An evaluation of school responses within three Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) primary schools (2005). The 1999 Queensland P-10 Health and Physical Education syllabus used within Queensland Education and more specifically Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE), adopted a socio-cultural approach to learning. This approach is underpinned by social justice principles which include diversity, equity and supportive environments (Queensland School Curriculum Council, 1999b). This approach encourages student interest and inclusive participation in physical activities, a major concern and focus within many Australian schools (Queensland Government, 2003). The syllabus favours critical, socially just pedagogies over the traditional dominant scientistic and performance-oriented pedagogy. Therefore, teachers need to be educated and prepared to use socio-critical pedagogies (Tinning, 2004). At present there is a paucity of research on the delivery of the HPE key learning area and general curriculum implementation within Queensland. This qualitative, interpretive study is most appropriate as meanings were constructed. The case study methodology was chosen to construct meaning through capturing the context of each school. The sites for the three case studies involved: one small sized BCE primary school (less than 200 students); one medium sized BCE primary school (200 400 students); and one large sized BCE primary school (over 400 students). The participants included teachers and students from the respective schools. It appears that the implementation process ceased prematurely before all schools had sufficient time and preparation to design whole school HPE programs. Teachers lacked understandings of practical ways to implement the social justice underpinnings of the syllabus and some school principals were unaware of the necessity of employing qualified HPE specialist teachers. In conclusion, when teachers have been educated and trained to deliver quality HPE learning experiences students appear to have a greater interest in physical activities. There is a need to promote a stronger marriage between these two aspects of education investigated; namely the syllabus and its implementation. As a result this study presents scholarly contribution as a contemporary insight into HPE practice in schools within a sample of systemic Catholic primary schools, initiating links between delivery/teacher pedagogy to student participation in physical activities. Also, it stimulates further study into the correlation between ideals in policy and practical implementation. This research has the potential to help schools in BCE, education systems within Queensland, Australia and globally. Health and Physical Education (HPE) Throughout the history of HPE many discourses have influenced the construction and delivery of the HPE curricula within schools. These have included military, scientific, health and sporting discourses, which have been underpinned by ideologies of sexism, elitism, healthism, individualism and mesomorphism. These ideologies often permeate the hidden curriculum (Colquhoun, 1991, 1992; Hickey, 1995; Kirk, 1992; Kirk & Twigg 1993; Scraton, 1990; Tinning, 1990; Tinning & Fitzclarence, 1992; Tinning, Kirk, & Evans, 1993, Lynch, 2007), wherein students acquire knowledge and attitudes unintentionally while in the school environment (Kirk, 1992, Lynch, 2007). The hidden curriculum relates directly to the actual learning in practice. Therefore evaluation of HPE practice is an essential aspect for optimizing quality delivery and for giving renewal direction for promotion of active healthy lifestyles. A socio-cultural approach underpinned by social justice principles of diversity, equity and a supportive environment has afforded HPE even greater relevance in Catholic schools. Under the HPE umbrella, physical education sits alongside health education, outdoor education, home economics and religious education (Macdonald, 2003; Macdonald & Glover, 1997). In Catholic education, the HPE learning area is strongly connected to the Religious Education (RE) curriculum and in particular the faith dimension of Catholic schools (Lynch, 2004b, BCE, 2003a). Enhancing Personal Development is an essential curriculum teaching component within Religious Education (Lynch, 2004b) and in the HPE physical activity strand students are presented with many practical and social experiences that require living and reflecting on Catholic religious traditions and gospel values (Lynch, 2004a). In recent years, the school curriculum across Australia has placed less of an emphasis on HPE, particularly physical activity and sport (Queensland Government, 2003a), and as a result, “Australian school HPE is failing to provide children with the opportunity to develop physical competencies and be physically active” (Morgan, Bourke, & Thompson, 2001, p. 1). In Australia, children are less fit (McNaughton, Morgan, Smith, & Hannan, 1996; Thompson, Woodcock, McCormack, & Thomas, 1995), more obese (Howard, 2004; Lazarus, Wake, Hesketh, & Waters, 2000; Magarey, Daniels, & Boulton, 2001) with approximately one quarter of Australian children regarded as overweight (Howard, 2004; Sport Comparison of Health and Physical Education policies with practices: An evaluation of school responses within three Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) primary schools (2005)