Ann MacPhail

Nominal Group Technique: a useful method for working with young people

This article introduces and reflects on the appropriateness of nominal group technique (NGT) in eliciting information from young school-aged people. NGT was selected from a number of possible methods, including focus groups, brainstorming and the delphi technique. The decision to use the NGT over other group methods was determined by the nature of the issue being investigated, issues of equity and accuracy, and a preference for the more structured approach of NGT, which involves following a clear set of procedures. The article examines various methods of working with groups before outlining the key features of NGT. The practicality of using NGT with young people is addressed, and some modifications to enhance NGTs usability are noted. General benefits and limitations of the NGT approach are also considered in relation to other group methods.

Young people's socialisation into sport: experiencing the specialising phase

Abstract It can be argued that young people’s socialisation into sport follows a general pattern of sampling, specialising and investing (Côté & Hay, 2002a). In the sampling phase children participate in a range of sports for fun and enjoyment. The specialising phase involves more sport‐specific skill development and a reduction in the range of sport activities. The investment phase signals a focus on one activity and a commitment to intensive training and competitive success. This paper develops research where we previously examined the key features of the sampling phase in the junior section of Forest Athletic Club (FAC) (MacPhail et al., 2003). Continuing our involvement in an ethnography of FAC we are now able to report and discuss key characteristics of the specialising phase that were evident through young people’s involvement at the club. These include a reduction in the number of sporting activities being pursued, enjoyment and success, the notion of deliberate practice and the influence of family, school and club support on those moving into the specialising phase. We note that while some of the key features of the sampling phase carried over to the specialising phase there were subtle differences in how they were practised. We report characteristics of the specialising phase that were not evident when observing and interviewing the same athletes when they were experiencing the sampling phase. In concluding we suggest how the quality of the sporting experience in the specialising years can increase the likelihood that young people will remain involved in sport.

SOCIAL POSITIONING AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A YOUTH SPORTS CLUB

This article uses the concept of social positioning to explore the construction of a youth sports club by young people, their parents and coaches. The year-long ethnography of Forest Athletics Club (FAC) identified two athlete positions of Samplers and Beginning Specializers. Four parents’ positions were identified, those of Non-Attenders, Spectators, Helpers and Committed Members. One coach position was the Committed Volunteer. Each of these positions was interdependent. Particular expectations, practices and values were attached to these positions. It is argued that the club operates according to multiple agendas and that FAC is a complex and dynamic social phenomenon that is practised differently by the three groups of key players.

Learning to teach sport education: The experiences of a pre-service teacher:

This paper repor ts on a study of one pre-ser vice teachers implementation of the spor t education (SE) model in a post-primar y school in Ireland. The study sought to identify and understand the mechanisms that facilitate or inhibit learning to teach the model from the perspective of a pre-ser vice teacher. Occupational socialization was used to examine how past teaching experiences, physical education teacher education (PETE) and school culture influenced and impacted on the experience of learning to teach the SE model. Qualitative data are repor ted from inter views and diar y entries. Findings reveal that professional socialisation occurring in PETE had the most influence on the pre-ser vice teachers experience of learning to teach the model. A number of recommendations are made for teacher education and for professional development specialists attempting to improve professional development oppor tunities and facilitate curricular change.

Irish physical educators’ attitude toward teaching students with special educational needs

This study examined the relationship among the specific special educational needs (SEN) of emotional/behavioural disorder (EBD), specific learning disabled (SLD), mild-moderate mentally impaired (MMMI), and moderate-severe mentally impaired (MSMI) and the selected attributes of gender, academic preparation and previous experience in teaching students with SEN. The Physical Educators’ Attitudes Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities-III (PEATID-III) (Rizzo, 1993) instrument was used to collect the data. The instrument was sent to all secondary school physical educators in the Republic of Ireland. Results from ANOVA analysis found that female physical educators displayed more positive attitudes than male physical educators toward SLD and MSMI students. For previous experience, a significant difference in physical educators’ attitudes was found for MMMI students only. Results also found low numbers of physical educators having completed initial teacher training (ITT) in SEN relevant to physical education (PE) at undergraduate as well as postgraduate levels. The results provide evidence that there is a need to promote positive attitudes among Irish physical educators toward teaching students with SEN as well as improved ITT and postgraduate training for SEN in PE.

Listening to young people's voices: Youth sports leaders' advice on facilitating participation in sport

This article reports on a study that accepts the proposal that we listento the voices of young people in relation to sport and physical recreation.The study sought the advice of young sports leaders on what can be done to facilitate young people’s involvement in sport. The study used group interviews (Nominal Group Technique) with over 600 14–18-year-olds toelicit responses to a single question, ‘What can be done to help young people participate in sport?’ This article focuses on young people’s views on issues to do with climate and conditions. We argue that, while their advice offers support for some current initiatives in youth sport, it also provides new insights and challenges and suggests a reordering of existing priorities for youth sport and leisure provision.

‘We had to do intelligent thinking during recent PE’: students’ and teachers’ experiences of assessment for learning in post‐primary physical education

This study arose in response to a perceived need for additional teacher support for assessment in physical education and the limited focus in physical education pedagogy literature on the impact of Assessment for Learning (AfL), in particular the impact of formative assessment on student learning. The study involved the refinement and evaluation of a post‐primary physical education planning framework with assessment instruments for use by teachers. A number of teachers were engaged in the development of assessment and planning materials, the trialling of these in school settings and their subsequent refinement based on the feedback received from the teaching and learning setting. The study was contingent on teachers cultivating a learning culture within their class. Students’ and teachers’ experiences of AfL are reported before highlighting some of the challenges that remain in investigating formative assessment.

Students' conceptions of sport and sport education

This article explores a class of Grade 5 (age 9 and 10) children’s conceptions of sport during a season of sport education at Forest Gate Primary School. The purpose, following Kirk and Kinchin (this issue), is to examine the extent to which the potential transfer of learning between school and sport as a community of practice may be possible through sport education in school physical education. With reference to student interviews and drawings we report and discuss children’s conceptions of sport, their experiences of sport outside of the school, and their emerging conceptions of sport education in light of these prior understanding and experiences. We conclude that there was an evident level of compatibility between students’ experiences of sport education and their conceptions of sport more broadly.

Leading by Example: Teacher Educators' Professional Learning Through Communities of Practice

There has been a limited interest in examining physical education teacher educators’ role and practices in embedding professional responsibility and commitment to continued professional learning for both teacher educators and pre-service teachers in a physical education teacher education (PETE) program (MacPhail, 2011) Directed by a landscape of community of practice (CoP) as professional development (Parker, Patton & Tannehill, 2012), this article shares four case studies that demonstrate the extent to which PETE learning can be mapped onto the landscape. In essence, a CoP is sustained over time, involves shared member goals, involves frequent discourse, is active and social, and is characterized by problems being solved by the members. The ideas in this article in tandem with Wengers (1998) CoP process can encourage teacher educators to consider whether opportunities undertaken in a PETE program, and with colleagues external to the PETE program, encourage an authentic CoP.

Athlete and Researcher: Undertaking and Pursuing an Ethnographic Study in a Sports Club

Reflexivity suggests that researchers should acknowledge and disclose their own selves in the research and be aware of the ways in which their perceptions and background influence the research. This article highlights and discusses issues related to being an active athlete in a sports club while at the same time conducting ethnographic research related to the same sports club. Areas that are examined are personal issues, the kinds of participation that I undertook as a researcher, my role relationships and the maintenance of the balance between distance and involvement. Elaborating on the four areas, implications for the quality of data gathered are explored and lessons to be drawn from pursuing the dual role of an athlete and researcher are discussed.