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

Supports 
The main supports that teachers identified were support of key school leaders in 
physical education, community involvement in physical education and sports provision 
in the school as well as staff’s ‘shared vision’ to improve in the provision of physical 
education throughout the school. The Principal was very supportive of staff and 
providing them with, or the means with which to gain, any professional development 
they may require. The teacher with responsibility for physical education was also 
highlighted by staff as very helpful in any planning or needs that they may have 

---

124 
regarding physical education. The physical education programme in the school was 
supported by community clubs such as Basketball, Hurling, Gaelic Football and 
Cricket, teachers recognised the contribution of these organisations but realised that 
they are all games focussed. Teachers also reported supporting each other to a lesser 
extent and sharing resources and ideas. All teachers welcomed any professional 
development that might help them provide a better physical education experience for 
their pupils. 
Continuing Professional Development 
Twenty of the twenty seven teachers interviewed had undertaken national in-service in 
PE with only 36.8% of teachers responded to having completed an in-service course in 
physical education outside of school hours. Three respondents completed courses in 
physical education, the others were in related areas such as ‘healthy teachers, healthy 
kids’ and ‘set dancing’. This highlights the confusion some teachers have around the 
actual nature and content of the subject.
Support Required 
All teachers responded that they felt the development of a school plan for physical 
education should include a broad and balanced programme. This was reflected in their 
willingness to try to implement new strands, in spite of the noted fears of injury in the 
areas of athletics (31.5%) and gymnastics (52.6%) and lack of knowledge and 
confidence particularly in gymnastics and outdoor and adventure activities (42.1%). All 
teachers felt that ‘regular in-service in physical education’ and ‘adequate advice and 
support within the school’ was ‘important’ or ‘very important’. However, when asked 
what they could remember from the national in-service days, many of the teachers could 
remember very little, if anything. What they did remember was that it was ‘fun and 
enjoyable’ and that whatever it was, 
'it seemed like a lot of organisation’
(FGT Claire 5) 
The type of support that teachers alluded to during interview, was mainly that of 
a visual nature in the form of modelling lessons. This is to be expected as physical 
education is a practical subject and many non-specialists have difficulty transferring 
from the written page to action during the physical education lesson.
‘I read the 
materials but couldn’t understand them I need to see it live’
(FGT Karen 4). One 
teacher recommended video recording any future support that would be provided to 
staff to keep as a resource in the school. Other methods of support requested were 

---

125 
provision of schemes, lesson plans, lesson-notes for use during the lesson and resources 
to compliment the lesson. Although each school was provided with resource materials 
for physical education by the DES, in the form of a CD produced by the Primary School 
Sports Initiative (PSSI) none of the staff had accessed these resources or lesson plans at 
the time of this study. Many of the teachers did not know of their existence as only one 
CD was sent to each school principal and as yet the resources were not available on the 
web. Teachers requested help with the organisation of equipment for the lesson as well 
as modelling lessons and mentoring them through a number of lessons. It became 
obvious through the focus group interviews with the teachers that they were enthusiastic 
and willing to embrace the idea of a physical education professional development 
programme (PDP). Teachers looked for help and support immediately, as I was 
available in the school, even at this early stage. Teachers were looking for what I 
believed to be the ‘quick fix’, this solution to their problems was one they were 
accustomed to, through the workshop/ training models offered (Kennedy, 2005; Sugrue 
et al., 2001; Sugrue, 2002). The interviews that formed part of the research became a 
forum for discussion about physical education where teachers began to ask questions 
showing a thirst for information about physical education, its subject content and what 
constituted ‘good’ physical education.