Abstract
Living an embodied curriculum is marvellously messy. The selection and deployment of appropriate learning domains and subsequent leadership decisions, can strengthen opportunities to maintain and sustain curricular learning in contextually meaningful ways. This inquiry embraces a constraints analysis underpinned through complexity principled thinking, to better understand how to attend to health and skill related competencies. Having attempted this through a through a psychomotor learning domain emphasis, students voiced a resounding preference for a psycho-social emphasis. The former is adopted to yield mixed results; success as regards the targeted health and skill related fitness and curricular learning and competencies. The developmentally appropriate resistance program was highly effective across all participating elementary and middle school cohorts (N=750; z=-5.763, p<0.001; z=-4.439, p<0.001; z=-4.439, p<0.001; z=-6.902, p<0.001). Yet students were not enamoured at having to engage in physical health and fitness related activities. Creative ideas to change this up in some ways were explored and considered.A complexity thinking principled analysis was undertaken to explore potential results and from there, a different approach emerged and elected for a more student centred iteration. The emerged approach transferred both the learning and the location to beyond the PE class into recess to transform the student role into one whereby an informed and empowered voice enhanced their engagement and opinion of their collective experience. Overall participation levels (z=0.400, p<0.0001) alongside learning, (x=0.400, n=6226, p<0.001) and enjoyment of students increased when peer led structured activity, modelled and practised during class time, was extended into the playground. From the second participating cohort (N=800), a larger number of students’ scores increased (mean±s.e. =195±8.37) than decreased (129±3.82), whilst the majority of scores remained the same (367±7.41). This ecological approach proffers insights as to consider and emphasize student learning across the contextual student voiced preference. As new constraints emerge, innovative ways to explore effective student led curricular guidance and enactment across physical education practice are both valued and heartily welcome. Leadership is adopted and enacted in a wide variety of ways. This session depicts a constraints analytical approach we adopted to better understand how to attain sustainably relevant outcomes and expectations to those participating. Whilst some constraints were clear across the two demographical settings, it was evident that children and youth across both regions, valued a socially just approach to how their curriculum experiences are envisioned and enacted. A pragmatic approach to driving a non judgmental analysis through complexity thinking, we feel, better served our gracious participants. Furthermore, we found that by shifting the emphasis of learning domains through the set content knowledge and competencies, students were able and willing to extend their physical activity practice at their own discretion. We hope to share how we applied a philosophical thinking approach and to gain further insights from our colleagues. Amidst the current complexity around the world, new ways to lead through physical education by it’s most valued stakeholders may offer further opportunities for shared socially just practice. As new constraints emerge, innovative ways to explore effective student led curricular guidance and enactment across physical education practice are both valued and heartily welcome.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | NAKHE Virtual Conference. |
Subtitle of host publication | . Supporting Faculty through Effective Leadership: The Work Beyond the Work. 2021 NAKHE Virtual Conference (whova.com) |
Place of Publication | Virtual, from South Carolina, USA |
ISBN (Electronic) | https://whova.com/portal/webapp/nakhe_202101/ |
Publication status | Published - 7 Jan 2021 |
Keywords
- Complexity
- leadership