Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

Phase 2 – Professional development programme design. 
Aim.
To plan and design the professional development programme (The 
professional development programme is outlined in detail in Chapter 5). 
Objectives. 
To plan and design schemes of work
To plan and design individual lessons
To source, create and/or purchase resources required 

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To familiarise myself as professional development facilitator with 
teacher needs and knowledge base 
To propose a schedule of professional development provision for the 
initial and follow-up O&AA programmes 
Methodology. 
The schemes, lesson plans and resources were compiled using the 
Resource Materials for Teaching Physical Education in Primary Schools (Primary 
Schools' Sports Initiative, 2006) and other supplementary resources as well as 
knowledge gained as indicated in phase 1. Field notes of the process involved were 
made. Models of professional development were reviewed to establish best practice.
All support was teacher led. 
Phase 3 - Process evaluation of stage 1 of the professional development 
programme. 
Aim.
To investigate the process of the professional development programme 
provision 
Secondary research questions. 
What were the practices and perspectives of the teachers during the 
implementation phase of the programme? 
What types of support were requested and around which areas most 
support required? 
Was support required to be contextualised and sustained? 
Were there indications being exhibited that either supported the 
programme or otherwise? 
What were the children’s opinions regarding the programme? 
What was the impact of the programme on the physical activity of the 
children, and the various lesson contexts, during physical education 
lessons? 
Methodology.
During the professional development programme facilitation field 
notes and observations were kept outlining what type of support was provided. Focus 
group interviews were carried out, on completion of this initial stage of the professional 
development programme, with both teachers and children to ascertain if programme 
objectives were achieved. Child activity levels, lesson context (management, 

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knowledge, skills, fitness and games) and teacher instruction were quantified using a 
validated (McKenzie, 2005), direct observation instrument, SOFIT (System for 
Observing Fitness Instruction Time).