The Role of Research in the Field of Physical Education: Manitoba Stories

1
The Role of Research in the Field of Physical
Education Manitoba Stories

• MPESA,
• Oct. 10, 2007

2
Who does/why do research?

• Government - set policy
• University researchers - contribute to scholarly
  literature in a particular field
• Educators - improve practice

3
Interdependence

• Practice informs
• research

• Research
• informs
• practice action

4
Who funds research?

• Federal Govt through national granting agencies
  Tri-Council SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR (highly
  competitive - e.g., 20 success rate CIHR 39
  SSHRC)
• Provincial government
• Research grants (MHRC, MICH)
• project grants (e.g., ECY QQPE in Mb Review of
  lit - fitness Sport Mb)
• Universities HLHPRI, U of M Small Grants, U of M
  SSHRC
• School divisions schools SO TIP
• Interest groups MPESA

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Who determines what is studied?

• Typically, the funding agency and the researcher
• E.g., In the FKRM at the U of M, all professors
  are expected to develop an on-going research
  program (40 of workload expectations, which
  includes determining the research topic, research
  question(s), methodologies preparing research
  proposals and applying for funding carrying out
  the research disseminating research to policy
  makers, practitioners, scholarly community
  (presentations, publications, )

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Research Genres

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Translating research into practice

• Determine research findings
• Communicate research findings
• Written reports (for policy makers)
• Presentations (academics practitioners key
  groups (e.g., participants, parents, policy
  makers, public)
• Publications (scholarly journals, professional
  journals, others)

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How well do you know Manitoba Physical Education
Research?
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Historical Research

• David Fitzpatrick (U of W)
• Fitzpatrick, D. (1989). The socialization goal of
  Manitoba Public School Physical Education,
  1945-1958. Unpublished Masters thesis,
  University of Manitoba.
• Fitzpatrick, D. (1982). The emergence of
  physical fitness as a concept in the publix
  schools of Manitoba. Unpublished Masters thesis,
  University of Manitoba.

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Graduate Research

• Teachers looking to improve practice
• Sander, N. (1985). The effect of a selected
  physical education program on student
  self-concept and fitness related skills A
  Canadian case study. Temple University
  Unpublished Masters Thesis.
• Halas, J. (1987). The effect of a social
  learning intervention program on grade seven
  physical education students. University of
  Ottawa Unpublished Master's Thesis.
• Zahn, H. (2007). Developing Personal/Social and
  other Physical Education Skills to Create an
  Effective and Healthy Learning Environment for
  Students and Teachers Using The Time Method.
  University of Manitoba Unpublished Master's
  Thesis.
• Nazer-Bloom, L. (pending Oct, 2007). Assessing
  Adolescent's Responses to a Coping Skills
  Program An Action Research Approach to
  Understanding Adolescent Stress and Coping.
  University of Manitoba Unpublished Doctoral
  Thesis.

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Graduate work (FKRM)

• Booke, J. (MA, 2002) Wilderness education for
  youth at risk An interpretive case study.
• Ng, C. (MSc, 2004) Audible breathing and
  exercise at the ventilatory threshold in youth.
• Livesley, K. (MSc, 2003) Building relationships
  in sport psychology consulting Email and other
  factors.
• Champagne, L. (MSc, 2006) Physical Education
  Teachers as Allies to Aboriginal Students
  Dimensions of Social Consciousness.
• Baert, H. (2007 - present). PHETE Addressing the
  perspectives of novice PE teachers regarding the
  adequacy of their preparation to teach.

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Specific Project Grants Investigating Problems
of Practice

• MPESA Survey
• Fitzpatrick, D. (1998). Survey of selected
  Manitoba physical education, and health teaching
  variables (1998) Preliminary report.
• Review of literature of fitness assessment and
  development
• Manitoba Education, Citizenship, and Youth.
  (2004). Guidelines for fitness assessment in
  Manitoba schools A resource for physical
  education/health education.
• REPETA QDPE division-wide survey (1991)
• Halas, J. (1993). Winnipeg school division
  evaluates its commitment to QDPE. CAHPER
  Journal. Summer, 59, (2), 8-11.

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Action Research

• 1. Parental response to PE assessment,
  evaluating reporting (Seven Oaks - HLHPRI w/
  Neil Sander)
• Sander, N. Halas, J. (2003). Action research as
  responsible practice parental responses to
  assessment, evaluation, and reporting practices
  in physical education. Physical and Health
  Education Journal, 69(2), 12-16.
• Findings influenced the personal reporting
  practices of the teacher/researcher.

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Action Research

• 2. Adolescent Moms PA Intervention study
• Applied theory of culturally relevant pedagogy to
  teaching of PE (meaningful activities, student
  input, focus on relnships)
• reclaiming body identity
• healthy maternal body identity
• playful body identity
• the self-regulated body identity
• Introduction of designated PE teacher at school
  Orchard, T., Halas, J., Stark, J. (2006).
  Minimizing the Maxim model? Interpreting the
  sexual body rhetoric of teenage moms through
  physical education. In Linda K. Fuller, Sport,
  Rhetoric, and Gender Historical Perspectives
  and Media Representations, pps. 131-142. New
  York Palgrave/Macmillan, Global Publishing at
  St. Martin's Press.

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Action Research

• 3. The MENTOR Program
• Participatory Action Research informed by
  Indigenous methodologies teachings
• After school PA, nutrition education program
  involving Aboriginal (and non-Aboriginal) HS
  students who design and deliver weekly activities
  for EYS at a neighbourhood school
• Students receive PE and/or leadership credit
• Leads to introduction of new BPE - ELC (pilot 08)

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Collaborations (education x health x university)

• Adapting the First Step Program (Tudor-Locke)
  for Middle School Students
• Community-based collaboration with FSD, Parkland
  Regl Health Authority HLHPRI
• Adapt and apply FSP with middle years students in
  2 rural schools
• Limited success provided information of what
  works, doesnt work when using pedometers with Gr
  5-8 students
• Halas, J, Butcher, J., Lowe, H., Clement, M.
  (in press). Toward a culturally relevant
  pedometer intervention for middle school
  students. AVANTE, (27 pages).

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Qualitative Research

• The Experience of Teaching Students who are
  Physically Awkward (on-going)
• The Experience of Awkwardness A Retrospective
  View
• Fitzpatrick, D. A. Watkinson, E. J. (2003). The
  Lived Experience of Physical Awkwardness Adults?
  Retrospective Views. Adapted Physical Activity
  Quarterly, 20, 279-298