Research and Practice in Physical Education

Research findings in education can provide invaluable insight into how teaching practice can be improved, but research papers are often inaccessible and hard to digest. This innovative new text is designed to assist physical education students, pre-service teachers, practising teachers and teacher educators to learn how to read research and to apply it to practice in primary and secondary physical education. The text also provides insights and implications for those working with young people in physical activity and sport settings.

The book presents a clear, step-by-step guide to how to read and interpret research, followed by a series of short and engaging introductions to contemporary research studies on key topics in physical education, from classroom management and programme design to assessment and social issues. Each study is discussed from the point of view of researcher, teacher educator and primary and post primary teacher, providing the reader with invaluable insight into how to use research to generate new ideas and improve their teaching practice.

Research and Practice in Physical Education is the perfect companion to any course in research methods, current issues, learning and teaching, or pedagogy and curriculum in physical education.

Deborah Tannehill taught post-primary physical education for ten years in the USA. She is currently Senior Lecturer in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Limerick, Ireland. She is Course Director for the Professional Diploma in Education: Physical Education, and Co-Director of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Youth Sport (PE-PAYS) Research Centre. Her research interests include physical education teacher education, continuing professional development and communities of practice, and teaching physical education.

Ann MacPhail is Senior Lecturer and Head of Department in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Ann's main teaching and research interests revolve around physical education, teacher education, methodological issues in working with young people and school physical education.

Ger Halbert has taught post-primary physical education, civic, social and political education (CSPE) and social, personal and health education (SPHE) for the past 21 years in Ireland. She currently works as an education officer with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in Ireland. She is part of a team who are supporting the introduction of the new junior cycle in second-level education.

Frances Murphy taught as a generalist primary teacher for 15 years. She is currently a Lecturer in Physical Education in the Education Department at St Patrick’s College, Ireland. Her research interests include the development of appropriate after-school programmes for children to promote increased levels of physical activity, motor skill development and social development.