Investigating the integration of the Sport Education model and the Athletics Challenges approach in the teaching of athletics in one Kuwaiti middle school

Abstract

This thesis seeks to investigate the integration of Sport Education and the Athletics Challenges approach to support the teaching of athletics in one Kuwaiti middle school. In Kuwait physical education faces many challenges and shortcomings, including unsatisfactory outcomes for pupils and little professional development for teachers who work within an old and narrow curriculum (Hayat, 2012). Some within the very limited Kuwaiti PE literature have shared such concerns over the quality and future of PE in Kuwait schools and limited instruction (e.g. Hayat, 2012). Sport Education is an internationally recognised model of curriculum and instruction used to support the teaching of Physical Education (PE) in school and which has shown positive outcomes in a range of cultural settings. The model aims to help young people become competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportspeople (Siedentop, 1994). Similarly the Athletics Challenges approach is more inclusive, with a focus on group learning, on self assessment, with the use of modified tasks that stimulate authentic athletic events, and which promote higher engagement time (Morgan, 2003). Athletic Challenges also aims to provide pupils the opportunity to plan, evaluate, and perform skills and seeks to motivate pupils for participation and helps them to gain valuable experience of a number of athletic activities (Morgan, 2003). The potential links between these approaches led to the development of an extended season taught by one Kuwaiti PE teacher to two classes of boys (N=45). Both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted in this thesis. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with the teacher, pupil focus groups, observation of lessons, and an end of season pupil survey. CPD support was also offered to the teacher by the researcher. Qualitative data were analysed inductively using a grounded constant comparison approach. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A number of themes emerged during the analysis of qualitative data. Data showed that the pupils became competent, literate, and enthusiastic sportspeople. Pupils enjoyed the season in particular team affiliation and they took the opportunity to plan and evaluate their athletic performances while taking on leadership roles and responsibilities. Pupils felt both ‘professional’ and a ‘specialist’ in what they saw as an authentic athletic environment. The teacher experienced some early difficulties and challenges in teaching the season and resistance from management to this novel curriculum, which he was able to overcome in collaboration with the researcher. The teacher felt more ‘valuable and the season expanded his knowledge of how to teach physical education. Discussion centred on the emergence of some initial Sport Education ‘shock’. The close relationship between the structures and features of both Sport Education and Athletics Challenges was a key feature of this thesis. The impact of Kuwait culture on the season is discussed around appropriate behaviour and morals, role status, and the planning and implementation of the festival. The season in this thesis offers a valuable resource for teachers to adopt in their curriculum. Some implications for schools, teacher training institutions and policy makers for the development of Sport Education and Athletics Challenges in Kuwait are outlined.

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