Ian Culpan

High-Performance Cricket Coaches' Perceptions of an Educationally Informed Coach Education Programme.

This paper reports and discusses the findings of a research project that investigated the recently conceptualized and implemented New Zealand Cricket, Level 3, high-performance coach education programme (CEP). A qualitative methodology was employed to gather data from six coaches involved in the CEP. In particular the researchers sought the perceptions of the six participating coaches around the additional educational perspectives that had been included into the CEP. Thematic analysis revealed that the participant coaches saw a need to increase their coaching knowledge base and the benefits in moving beyond the traditional coach education models that privilege technical skill development. Knowledge around educational learning theory, the concept of athlete empowerment and reflective practice as a means of informing an ever-evolving coaching philosophy were also deemed beneficial to participant coaches. Although the participant coaches could see value in such areas, there appeared to be some misunderstanding and confusion around the application of these concepts. Implications from this study suggest that this CEP may be enhanced through the inclusion of critically reflective practice and its associated philosophies and pedagogical approaches.

Constructivist Pedagogies for Olympism Education.

Olympism as a philosophical concept has been highly contested and challenged for its relevancy in a contemporary world. Some scholars argue that Olympism is simply a relic of the modern age and has little educative and/or social legitimacy. Others argue that despite the criticism and its contested nature it remains one of the most coherent and systematised ethical explanations of sport to have emerged. This article argues that Olympism does have educative and social worth if the conception of the concept is contextualised, coherently structured and located within physical education. In arguing for Olympism and its educative value, the article clearly distances itself from the dominant forms of Olympic education programmes across the globe and highlights that the various forms of this have negligible pedagogical worth and seem to propagate the Olympic ideal as an unproblematic good. Instead, this article supports Olympism education within a physical education context with particular reference to the New Zealand curriculum. By drawing on a synthesised constructivist pedagogical framework it is argued that Olympism provides opportunities to explore individual meaning-making, develop virtuous behaviours, examine the educative and social nature of sport, understand the humanist positioning of Olympism and foster a critical tradition. By utilising pedagogies commensurate with constructivism, it is argued that students will have opportunities to holistically critique physical activity, sport and Olympism and in so doing develop a critical consciousness that will encourage them to take social actions against injustices, inequalities, rampant consumerism and non-ethical and non-virtuous behaviours. The authors conclude their argument by acknowledging the complexity of the task and highlight the importance of bridging the praxis nexus.

Retained primitive reflexes: Perceptions of parents who have used Rhythmic Movement Training with their children:

This article reports on a qualitative phenomenological research project that investigated the use of Rhythmic Movement Training (RMT) as an intervention for retained primitive reflexes. Participants were from seven families who each had a child between the ages of 7 years and 12 years. Through semi-structured interviews, parents described their reasons for seeking additional help with their child’s development issues. They talked about finding RMT, using RMT within their family routine and their views on the costs and the benefits they experienced, both financial and time. While there has been a small amount of research into movement programmes targeting retained primitive reflexes, to date there appears to have been no studies completed on RMT. The data collected described searches for help, the stress and frustrations associated with the search and the range of interventions these parents tried. The families in this research found that RMT was easy to use within their daily routine and that it was a cost-effective, low-impact intervention. The families noticed a range of benefits for children who had completed the movements. The findings provide encouraging evidence to proceed with further study that will investigate the academic, social and emotional development of children using RMT.

Olympism, physical education and attitudes and values: what do graduating teachers in Aotearoa, New Zealand know and understand?

ABSTRACT Attitudes and values (A + V) are an important component of the New Zealand physical education (PE) curriculum. These A + V have a strong synergy with the philosophy of Olympism and New Zealand is recognised as one of the few countries to link these constructs in a national curriculum statement. While these two constructs are linked, little is known about graduating teachers’ knowledge of them. This study set out to understand the graduating teachers’ knowledge of A + V in the national PE curriculum and that of Olympism. The study identified that there was variability between primary and secondary students’ knowledge of the curriculum’s A + V and the philosophy of Olympism. Conclusions include the suggestion that there are some inadequacies that need addressing in present Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs. It recommends that a more systematic approach be adopted drawing on a critical tradition to address the explicit teaching of combining A + V and the philosophy of Olympism within present ITE PE programs.