Enrolment, content and assessment: a review of examinable senior secondary (16–19 year olds) physical education courses: an international perspective

ABSTRACT

Senior secondary physical education courses for certification continue to attract increasing student enrolments amidst international concerns for the state and status of physical education in schools. Curricula analysis of senior secondary physical education has typically focussed on courses in local contexts. This review aims to contribute to the current discussion around physical education curricula through a document analysis of 15 senior secondary physical education courses for certification. Results from the analysis of curricula documents reveal similarities in subject aims, objectives and rationales, subject specific content and assessment. Senior secondary physical education is firmly based in both the biophysical and sociocultural fields of study and draws on a broad range of disciplines from which to study human movement. The stated rationales of the courses reviewed suggested that an understanding of the complex interrelationships between content areas underpins senior secondary physical education; however content was mostly prescribed in stand-alone units. This review identified more similarities than differences in content and assessment practices in senior secondary physical education, a point of distinction between the courses reviewed was those that assess physical performance and those that do not. Internal assessment provided for a variety of tasks to determine student learning, however, external assessment was dominated by a written examination.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical education
• senior secondary education: assessment
• curriculum
• content
• teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachael Jayne Whittle

Rachael Jayne Whittle is a student in the Doctor of Philosophy program in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University in Victoria, Australia. Her current research interest centres on effective teaching in senior secondary physical education.

Amanda Clare Benson

Amanda Clare Benson is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University in Victoria, Australia. Her research interests include effective teaching and the prevention and treatment of disease though physical education, physical activity and clinical exercise science interventions.

Amanda Telford

Amanda Telford is an associate Professor in the School of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University in Victoria, Australia. Her areas of research interest include physical activity behaviour, measurement, determinants and interventions within school and community settings.