External providers and their impact on primary physical education in Aotearoa/New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Within Aotearoa/New Zealand primary schools, External Providers (EPs) have steadily increased their influence on physical education. The purpose of this study was to explore and interpret classroom teachers’ perspectives of EPs in their primary school. The research team obtained questionnaire responses from 487 classroom teachers from 133 different primary and intermediate schools in six regions across Aotearoa/New Zealand. In addition, 33 classroom teachers, selected from the six regions as a purposive sample [Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (3rd ed.). Newbury, CA: Sage], were interviewed. The research utilised a case-study design [Stake, R. E. (2005). Qualitative case studies. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), The sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage] and incorporated a mixed-methods approach [Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed methods in social inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass]. Our findings support the belief that EPs are established as major providers of physical education and sport in the primary schools space. Teachers identified a large number of EPs (n = 638) active in their schools. A number of categories were drawn from the interviews: Prevalence of EPs, Expertise and professional development (PD), Valued programs, Evaluation and assessment of EP provided programs and Pedagogical limitations. The teachers valued the EPs for their expertise, PD and the opportunities for students to experience a wide range of sports. However, schools conducted little assessment or evaluation of the programs. Teachers expressed some criticisms around the pedagogical approaches used and the EPs’ lack of knowledge of the curriculum. As a profession it is our responsibility to ensure that all students experience quality physical education programs and that EPs are working in ways that maximise the benefits for our students.

KEYWORDS:

• physical education
• primary schools
• external providers

Notes on contributors

Ben Dyson is an Associate Professor in Health and Physical Education at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He is internationally recognised as a leading researcher in Physical Education in two related areas of scholarship: research on innovative curriculum and pedagogy in schools and Cooperative Learning as a pedagogical practice. He is the current Senior Co-Editor of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.

Barrie Gordon is a senior lecturer in health and physical education at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His major teaching and research interests are student-centred physical education pedagogy. He has a specific interest in the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility and the Teaching Games for Understanding models.

Jackie Cowan is a lecturer in physical education/teacher education (PETE) at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. She specialises in pedagogy in both primary and secondary physical education and sport coaching. Her current research interests are in curriculum and pedagogy in primary school physical education, and the influence of privatisation in and on education.

Allison McKenzie is a lecturer in the primary programme within the College of Education, University of Otago. As an advocate of Physical Education and Health and the Arts, she specialises in the pedagogy of these curriculum learning areas. Her current research is focused on the impact of targeted professional development in physical education for primary teachers. This is an action research project with nine teachers from one Southland school over a one-year period. The research looks at the impact of targeted professional development on teachers’ perception of their confidence, and ability to implement the physical education curriculum.