UNESCO/NWCPEA Project on the Development of Quality Physical Education/Indicators and Basic Needs Model

written by Ken Hardman

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
UNESCO is working with the North Western Counties Physical Education Association (NWCPEA) in the launch of a Worldwide Survey on the situation of Physical Education in schools. This initiative responds directly to a call from the States' Members of the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport (CIGEPS). The survey will inform the development of:

- International Indicators on Quality Physical Education (QPE)
- International Indicators on Quality Physical Education Teacher Training (QPETT)
- corresponding Basic Needs Models

Previous Worldwide School Physical Education Surveys (Hardman & Marshall, 2000; and Hardman & Marshall, 2009) drew attention to a number of widespread concerns in physical education provision. Since this time levels of fitness among young people have continued to decline in parallel with rising levels of obesity amongst school children and high school drop-out rates from physical/sporting activity. These concerns persist with indications of further cut-backs in physical education curricula as a consequence of the global financial crisis.

To mitigate against this negative trend, it is imperative that the monitoring of developments in physical education across the world is maintained. Accordingly, UNESCO and the WHO have called for monitoring systems to be put into place to regularly review the situation of physical education in every country. Moreover, as stated in the Dakar Framework for Action in 2000, Education for All policies should enhance the physical, psycho-social and emotional health of learners in schools.

PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY
The primary purpose of this Survey is to provide an overview of the situation of physical education in schools across the world. The evidence-based data will inform the development of benchmark indicators on Quality Physical Education (QPE) in schools and Quality Physical Education Teacher Training (QPETT) in provider institutions as well as a School Physical Education Basic Needs Model.

In order to conform with accepted practice in fitting methodological procedure to purpose(s) of study, a multi-method/pluralistic approach will be adopted. This approach will embrace data generated by a range of sources including a specifically designed semi-structured survey questionnaire, as well as data derived from recent and current continental regional and national PE-related studies, and will be underpinned by a comprehensive literature review. The specifically designed survey instrument will be distributed to acknowledged academic scholars/experts, physical education practitioners and government-level policy-makers/administrators thus, providing balance in responses given the range of profiles of survey participants.

The underpinning literature review will draw from a wide range of primary and secondary sources (governmental and non-governmental reports, international and national academic and professional journal articles, secondary source texts, including qualitative studies of PE in global and continental regional contexts, institutional and individual statements, web network sites etc.) in order to provide a more comprehensive overview of the situation world-wide.

SURVEY STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE
This part of the Survey comprises of a structured questionnaire, divided into seven key areas. Specifically, information will be sought on:

• The general situation of physical education in schools (national level policy and practice-related issues in school physical education, legal status, responsible authority, curriculum time allocation);
• The physical education curriculum (aims, themes, content activity areas, relevance and delivery quality issues, monitoring and quality assurance; existing QPE criteria; and gender and disability equity issues);
• Resources (teaching personnel, facilities and equipment);
• The physical education environment (school subject and physical education teacher status; and pathway links to physical education/sport activity in out-of-school settings);
• Issues in provision (school physical education-related concerns or problems);
• 'Best practice' examples in school physical education;
• Basic needs for physical education.

At the outset, it is necessary to acknowledge potentially problematic issues surrounding validity and reliability of data generated from questionnaires, especially in terms of nature and size of samples. Nevertheless, in themselves these data do provide an indication of patterns and tendencies and they can/do highlight some specific situations. Caution in interpretation will be alleviated to some extent by forms of triangulation, embracing the range of questionnaire samples' sets and the comprehensive review of research-related literature. Such forms of triangulation serve to underpin the survey questionnaire-generated data and bring a higher degree of validity and reliability to the content of the study.

QUALITY PE/QUALITY PETT INDICATORS
The formulation of Quality Physical Education Indicators will extend from identification of characteristics of QPE in schools to include Quality Physical Education Teacher Education (QPETE). It is clear that historical antecedents, culture-bound practices, extent of socio-economic development, and varying levels of state and/or regional legislation etc. have shaped physical education in schools and physical education teacher education across the world, and any formulation of Quality Indicators should recognise pan-national/cross-cultural diversity in practice. Hence, the identification of characteristics of Quality will be framed as Core Principles, grounded in the evidence (research data), established sets of QPE/QPETE identity criteria (e.g. European Physical Education Association (EUPEA), National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the AEHESIS Project), and experts' considerations (academic/professional practices/ideals) and NOT sets of Specific Prescriptions.

These 'Core Principles' will be sufficiently flexible and adaptable to empower countries to apply them within their specific situations, conditions and circumstances, and accord with their respective needs while aspiring to higher standards of quality. QPE needs to be seen in the context of life-long participation in physical activity. QPE should include inter-related strategies to embrace the formulation of quality programs which provide meaningful experiences, and which attract young people to the joy and pleasure of physical activity and so foster an 'active life-style' philosophy with a focus on relevance and understanding.

We invite you to participate in this Survey, and make an important contribution in policy advocacy at international, regional and national levels. The detailed PE Survey Questionnaire is available in several languages including English, French and Spanish. Anyone willing to participate in this important UNESCO Project is asked to contact Prof. Ken Hardman for an electronic version of the Questionnaire at: ken.hardman@tiscali.co.uk.

Alternatively, the Questionnaire can be accessed through the UNESCO Website accessed via:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/sport/physical-education-and-sport/cigeps/indicators-basic-needs/
Ken Hardman,
8 February 2012

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