Sport, Health and Physical Education

The Sport, Health and Physical Education Research Group (SHAPE) began life in 2007 as the Physical Education Research Group. In 2009, Associate Professor Murray Drummond expanded the group to include sport and health research and subsequently re-named the research group, Sport, Health and Physical Education, or SHAPE.

The research and development group brings together a group of researchers at Flinders University each with a unique focus around sport, health and physical education.

SHAPE Members:

  • Associate Professor Murray Drummond (Chair)

  • Mr Russell Brown

    Russell's academic interests are primarily concerned with the social and political foundations of curriculum issues, especially those associated with curriculum and professional development within the Health and Physical Education learning area. His work usually adopts a socio-critical approach, using qualitative research methods. Other areas of interest include professional discourse and practice, teacher empowerment, and the micropolitical contexts of schooling.

  • Mr Shaun Filiault
  • Ms Felicity Lewis
  • Dr Judy Peppard

  • Mr Shane Pill

    Shane commenced his position at the Flinders University in 2006 after 19 years teaching in schools in Perth and Adelaide. His teaching focus is curriculum construction and physical education pedagogy. Shane has an interest in teaching and researching physical education and sport pedagogy, leadership for learning, and quality learning environments. He is highly active in teacher professional development.

  • Dr Kate Ridley

    Kate has a background in Exercise Science having completed a BAppSc (Exercise and Sport Science), a BAppSc (honours — Human Movement) and PhD (Human Movement). Kate's research interests include: children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour patterns; associations between children's behaviour patterns and health-related fitness; and measurement of physical activity and energy expenditure.

Our Research

Physical Education Teachers use of TGfU/Game Sense curriculum model in SA schools

The TGfU physical education curriculum model and related variations such as Game Sense, Tactical Games, Play Practice and Play with Purpose, are still not common place in Australia (Light 2004). Shane Pill, lecturer in Physical Education at Flinders University and member of the Physical Education Research Group, is investigating physical education teacher's incorporation of the TGfU curriculum model into curriculum design and teaching methodology in South Australian schools.

The aims of this research project are to provide an understanding of:

  • How ‘games for understanding’ pedagogical and design principles are incorporated into physical education?
  • How ‘games for understanding’ pedagogical design principles have influenced the teaching and learning of physical education?
  • How these insights can be used for future curricula and pedagogical development of physical education.
  • Whether you use the curriculum models TGfU/Game Sense or not, we would like to hear from you. Engaging with this survey will be both informative and a professional learning experience so click here and tell us what you think. It will only take five minutes of your time to complete the survey and no individuals will be identified in the findings.

The results will be available to view from July 2009.

Fundamental Movement Skills

Flinders University PE Studies academics have been supporting the SA Catholic Primary Schools Sport Association (SACPSSA) in the design and delivery of professional learning opportunities since 2006. In 2008, PERG member Shane Pill advised SACPSSA on a Fundamental Movement Skills Pilot project involving 10 schools. Preliminary analysis of the FMS data collected indicates that female students are already behind male students achievement of FMS skills by grade 2 as less female students are identified as being competent at many of the FMS. This difference becomes more pronounced by Grade 7. If you are interested in further information about fundamental movement skill teaching and/or assessment contact Shane Pill.

SA Department of Health's Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Project

It was recently announced that the ACHPER (SA) Consortium in conjunction with the Heart Foundation, Flinders University, Centre for Health Promotion, Sport SA and Sports Medicine Australia was successful with their tender application for the Department of Health's Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Project. The Consortium is one of three on a panel of providers that will deliver a program to SA schools. More information later- but great news and opportunities for ACHPER and Consortium Partners.

Researching sport education in action: a case study IN ONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

The traditional games based physical education curriculum that “emphasises effort and teamwork in a variety of mostly male-orientated activities” has resulted in a subject that is “largely uncontextual and culturally irrelevant” (Laker, 2003, p.153). The Sport Education (SE) curriculum model (Siedentop, Hastie and van der Mars, 2004) is an example of a progressive physical education curriculum model for sport teaching designed to addressed the problematic nature of traditional sport teaching in physical education. Shane Pill, lecture in physical education at Flinders University and member of the Physical Education Research Group, is investigating the implementation of SE in one R-7 primary school. Initial results of this study have suggested:

  • Students generally enjoyed the SE experience and perceived it as different to other physical education topics.
  • It is difficulty for teachers to shift from a more traditional teaching approach.
  • Students who reported enjoying the SE experience frequently thought it was more attractive than regular physical education as it was more interesting.
  • Students report an increase in cooperation with peers and increased affiliation and feelings of group belonging.
  • SE facilitates the collection of evidence of achievement of SACSA curriculum outcomes.
  • SE contains intriguing possibilities as a curriculum model deliberately implemented for student personal and social skill development.

For information about this project or to discuss the possibilities of the Sport Education curriculum model in your school context, contact Shane Pill.

First Asia-Pacific Sport in Education Conference

Ngunyawaiendi Yerthoappendi

Play to Educate

Flinders University School of Education ‘Centre for the Analysis of Educational Futures’ Physical Education Research Group hosted the inaugural “Play to Educate — Sport in Education” Conference in January. Supported by Education Adelaide, the Australian Football League, the ASC Schools Network and ACHPER National, the conference attracted 100 International, National and local delegates who were all challenged to consider to whom is that which currently stands for sport in contemporary physical education, of any consequence?

Conference sessions explored this theme throughout the many and varied sessions. Key note speaker Dr. Ken Alexander (Edith Cowan University: established the ‘Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre’ which piloted Siedentop's Sport Education curriculum model as ‘SEPEP’ — the Sport Education in Physical Education Program) explained how, over time physical education evolved into the multi sports curriculum, with sport being delivered by ‘multi activity’ program arrangements. These included short units, teacher direction, technical rather than tactical teaching and, an assessment focus on effort and compliance.

As far back as 1980, Siedentop stated, in his ‘Introductory Analysis’ to physical education that multi activity programs are of very limited educational usefulness and do not promote the acquisition of skill. Ken forwarded the observation that physical education's multi activity programming of sport has been at the expense of educational and cultural meaning and authenticity. The increasing focus on sport as the foregrounded subject matter of physical education, delivered under multiactivity curriculum arrangements, has however, stirred thinking about the educative purpose of physical education and the place of sport in this educative purpose.

This keynote reminded us that it is now over 25 years since Siedentop first proposed the need for sport to be taught more authentically in physical education. Emerging from similar concerns that physical education develop more literate, intelligent and motivated games players Bunker and Thorpe also proposed the TGfU curriculum model in 1982. Despite progressive sport and games in education curriculum models, the delivery of physical education in Australian schools remains largely unchanged from the multi activity sport design. A recurring theme in the academic physical education literature of the past few decades it is that physical education should be done differently. Ken challenged the profession to involve itself in futures research so that the manner of delivery of physical education, and sport as an integral part of physical education curriculum, could link into the educational and cultural significance of the times.

Ken Alexander's key note was followed up by an equally persuasive message for the place and importance of sport in education by invited speakers Jan Stirling (Australian Women's Basket Ball Team Coach) & Nik Hagicostas (Consultant: Australian Football Team (Socceroos) and Athletics Coach).

Jan and Nik reflected on their national and international experience in sport to emphasise that children’s sport is too often mini-versions of adult activities, but it shouldn't be. Children need to ‘explore’ their functional abilities with few restrictions — trial and error experience is essential. As the landscape for children has changed and their opportunity for ‘trial and error experiences’ are increasingly limited outside of the school setting, our thinking as custodians of their physical development also needs to re-focus. This address put forward that there is an urgent need to develop physical education programs specific to children's physical & neurological development which explore and develop functional abilities. Jan and Nik challenged the physical education profession to formulate new concepts that are tailored to the developmental needs of children.

This conference brought delegates together to consider the direction of physical education curriculum and, the place and role of sport in meeting the educational and cultural goals of schooling. The Flinders University Physical Education Research Group has been encouraged by conference feedback to continue to attempt to bring together physical education curriculum and pedagogy academics, physical education teachers, sport agencies and sport providers to continue to discuss and investigate the direction of physical education curriculum and the role of sport in and for education.

Mr Shane Pill

Flinders University 1st Asia Pacific Sport in Education Conference Chair.