Game Centred Learning in Physical Education - Panelists

Game Centred Learning in Physical Education
 

Time: 2.00 to 3.15 
Channel: TimTV
Location: John Holland Theatre, University of Limerick.

The focus of this workshop/panel is to create a forum for discussion about the role of games centered learning approaches in physical education. There will be parallel discussions on SKYPE connected to members from the TGfU SIG with the speaker presentations broadcasted using USTREAM. The panel members will speak for 10 mins each followed by round-table discussions based on the key issues identified by the panelists. A final sharing and discussion of the round tables will conclude the session.  Here are a short insight on the panelists presentations: 

Joy Butler:  Will there be a time when the TGfU movement has served its purpose?

Ontological and epistemological decisions are crucial to the health of PE programs, since they encourage them to change with the rest of society and culture. TGfU has provided an invaluable catalyst for such evolutions, but in this presentation, I will argue that once 'good pedagogy' has been established, the purposes of the movement will have been served.

Len Almond: The Craft of the Teacher in TGfU

This session will highlight three features of a Rethinking THfU process:

1. Intelligent performance characteristics. 

2. The art and science of practice 

3. Pedagogy 

In order to illustrate this the presentation will develop the idea of how Games Sense and Technical Prowess can be redefined in the intelligent practice of one’s craft – the informed practice of the teacher and the learner

Wendy Piltz.  Play Practice:  Framing the teaching practice for game centered learning

Game centred learning is a complex process that can be difficult for teachers and coaches to grasp and integrate into their practice.  In order to assist professionals improve this capability, Play Practice presents the processes of ‘shaping’, ‘focusing’ and ‘enhancing’ to frame teaching practice and enable sustained professional learning to occur.  These processes will be described and connected to the design and facilitation of engaging game centred learning environments.

David Kirk.  The normalization of innovation, models-based practice, and sustained curriculum renewal in PE.

The challenge of educational innovation is not merely the creation of good ideas or of generating interest and enthusiasm among teachers. It is, in addition, sustaining innovative practice once it is in place. The tendency within school system is towards normalizing innovative practice, in order to make it fit with existing structures. My proposal for sustainable curriculum renewal in physical education is a models-based approach to the curriculum located within networked learning communities of schools, universities and other partners.

Blog members should select which panelists presentation they wish to participate in at the panel session and then send it to Tim Hopper (thopper@uvic.ca) along with their SKYPE address to set up their access to the group discussion on Thursday June 23rd.

Game centred approaches in PE and Sport

The title is more of a procedural issue - the teacher or coach chooses a specific form of practice. Whether there are pedagogies associated with them is far from clear. With the exception of Play Practice, all the other are variations on a theme. What we need to do is to clarify what each brand name means - what are the similarities and differences between them?

In the same way we tend to use words like pedagogies in so many different ways to the point where they are too far removed from being a guide to informed and intelligent practice. For me pedagogy is the art and science of engaging with students for productive learning. This stipulative statement focuses on engagement with learners, establishing relationships and giving students a voice in the learning process. The next step is to identify what capabilities and competences need to acquired, refined and shaped by experience of what works well (using an informed eye of course). This leads me to say that the art and science of practising (in the learning process) needs to be revived. What are developmental appropriate practices in teaching games? What practices lead to progression and development? What is the role of personal practice by the student in their own time? These are simply a few that I would address first.

Back to the title of the blog. Since TGFU emerged as a brand name with a number of different models there is one factor that has largely been ignored. What is its conceptual framework? Why did it develop in the way it did? Do we need a different TGFU for the 21st century? My emphasis would be on understanding - what does it entail? I don't mean a model just a return to re-building a conceptual framework that becomes a real guide to practice.

There are lots of exciting things happening within the teaching of games so can we harness this goodwill, intellectual rigour and enthusiasm for the subject through this blog.

Len

AIESEP conference in Limerick - Game Centred Learning in PE

Four recognized scholars and practitioners of game centred approaches to teaching in PE have been invited to share their insights on games teaching in PE.

·      Joy Butler:  Will there be a time when the TGfU movement has served its purpose?

·      Len Almond: The Craft of the Teacher in TGFU

·      Wendy Piltz:  Play practice framing the teaching practice for game centered learning

·      David Kirk:  The normalization of innovation, models-based practice, and sustained curriculum renewal in PE.

 

As an experiment the TGfU sig plans to broadcast this presentation to TGfU sig members on Thursday June 23rd 2.00 to 3.15 pm GMT + 1 hour.

More details to follow....