‘Getting better bit by bit’: Exploring learners’ enactments of student voice in physical education

ABSTRACT

Guided by Dewey’s [1966. Democracy and education. New York: The Free Press] concept of ‘education as growth’, the purpose of this paper is to explore learners’ enactments of student voice in Physical Education (PE) at a time of curricular reform. A qualitative comparative case study design gathered data from 18 students across 10 months in a triad of Irish secondary schools using focus group interviews. Data were gathered and coded to identify emergent themes. Five experiential themes emerged: puppeteering; early enlightenment; enjoyment in living; equitable inquiry and critique; and learning to grow. Findings demonstrate how student voice encounters were necessary to enhance students’ democratic experience of PE but the extent to which student voice was enacted to improve learning and assessment of curriculum was problematic for students to assert. Implementing student voice cannot be perceived and implemented as a fixed process but rather a fluid continuum of practice allowing more transformative experiences follow.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical education
• student voice
• curriculum
• pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Donal Howley is a graduate assistant and PhD student currently working with Dr Ben Dyson in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA. Prior to this, he worked as a PE and English teacher in Ireland for six years while also completing part-time research at the University of Limerick under Professor Mary O'Sullivan. Donal conducts research implementing traditional and innovative qualitative methods which elicit and gather participant perspectives and experiences of teaching and learning in K-12 physical education, physical activity, and youth sport settings. His areas of interest include student voice, social and emotional learning, curriculum, and pedagogy.

Mary O'Sullivan is Professor Emerita at University of Limerick where she served as Dean of the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and Professor of Physical Education. Previously Mary served as Associate Dean of Education and Professor of Physical Education at The Ohio State University. Currently Mary chairs the Irish National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) with research interests focused on teaching and teacher education policy and practice with particular interest in Physical Education curriculum and pedagogy.