Playing with Research in Health and Physical Education

If you don’t understand Finnish then this episode is going to be really confusing. This is a recording of a Keynote lecture (in Finnish) that I gave in Jyväskylä on May 14th 2025 about the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities.

Here is a link to the slides (in Finnish) I just ask that you please not use them in any form or share them in any form outside of viewing them as a part of this podcast

https://gmuedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/rmarttin_gmu_edu/EezSy3VkUCZPjELtX3ymcoMB5GVnABqX1_wGoP1ZYB0USA?e=o8CJbq

If you want to talk more about this model, I am always open to chat!

The research that was conducted was supported by The Finland Fulbright Foundation and UniArts Helsinki.

This is the 6th Australian Book Club. The speakers are Brendan SueSee, Michael Davies, and Dave Robinson

Synopsis/Background

Most Pedagogical or curriculum models in physical education (PE) focus on various content like health, game tactics, sport cultures, and expression. The Practising model has no content as the student generates the content through practising. This article presents the practising model as a way to put the P back in physical education through the pedagogy of practise.

Barker, D. M., Aggerholm, K., Standal, O., & Larsson, H. (2018). Developing the practising model in physical education: An expository outline focusing on movement capability. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23(2), 209-221.

Link to the article https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/17408989.2017.1371685?needAccess=true

Our colleagues from University of Limerick share two amazing resources with you that are 100% free and aimed to help teacher educators. We will talk about the Justice ED and SATLE projects and share these awesome Toolkits that have been created.

Below are the website links to the projects and the links to the Toolkits.

Justice Ed: https://www.ul.ie/justice-ed-education-for-global-justice-solidarity-and-interconnectedness

Toolkit: https://doi.org/10.34961/researchrepository-ul.27931542.v1

SATLE: https://www.ul.ie/pre-service-teachers-experiences-of-encountering-social-justice-matters-in-their-physical-education

Toolkit: https://pesportpedagogyul.wordpress.com/

The three voices you hear on the podcast are Elaine Murtaugh, Antonio Calderon, and Carmen Barquero-Ruiz all from U-Limerick.

This is the audio from the 28th of March, 2025 PETE Collaborative that was hosted to discuss critical issues in the PETE field, notably the future directions of the SHAPE America Research Council. Over 100 PETE scholars attended live.

This is a 15min presentation about my research on the Finnish Model for Leisure Activities. It was given at the Fulbright Education Forum March 26th, 2025 hosted by the Fulbright Finland Foundation which also has sponsored my stay in Finland this year to conduct the research.

The study is also supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture here in Finland and the University of Arts Helsinki as well as The University of Jyväskylä

You can find more information on the model here https://harrastamisensuomenmalli.fi/en/

And a description of my research is here:

https://www.uniarts.fi/en/projects/exploring-finlands-model-for-leisure-activities-hsm-childrens-experiences-and-evaluation-of-the-model/

If you want to chat more about this model, you can always reach out!

This article club discusses Swedish researchers who asked secondary school students/Gymnasium to discuss their perceptions of HPE through their assessment experiences. Some interesting but not surprising perceptions were shared, and as is true for the Australian Article Club... good discussion was had!

Here is the link to the article and the citation:

Modell, N., & Gerdin, G. (2022). ‘Why don't you really learn anything in PEH?’–Students’ experiences of valid knowledge and the basis for assessment in physical education and health (PEH). European Physical Education Review, 28(3), 797-815 https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X221084514 (Original work published 2022)

Today, we’re discussing the article ‘How physical education teachers are positioned in models scholarship: a scoping review. This was recently published in PESP and came up in discussion during Ash Casey’s scholar lecture at BERA. You can find that lecture in episode 350

Full Cite: Fjellner, R. L., Varea, V., & Barker, D. (2024). How physical education teachers are positioned in models scholarship: a scoping review. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 29(4), 329–345. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2022.2083098

Dean Barker and Hakan Larsson join me to discuss their latest article in Sport Education and Society titled: "What do you think you are doing? How physical education researchers make scientific contributions". This is an open access article that covers issues in publishing and research in the field.

To cite this article: D. Barker, J.-E. Ekberg, G. Nyberg & H. Larsson (18 Feb 2025): What do you think you are doing? How physical education researchers make scientific contributions, Sport, Education and Society, DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2025.2465588

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2025.2465588

This is the 4th Article club with Brendan SueSee, Michael Davies, and Dave Robinson.

The article they discussed was:

Sarah Metz, Benjamin Zander & Ina Hunger (09 May 2024): The suffering of students in physical education. Unsettling experiences and situational conditions, Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, DOI: 10.1080/17408989.2024.2352825

This paper captured a wide range of unsettling PE experiences by taking different perspectives of 677 physical education students. It used a social constructivist approach to address two questions: (1) What kind of experiences are interpreted as unsettling by students in PE? (2) Which situational conditions are associated with students’ unsettling PE experiences?

We speak about some of the challenges for PE teachers whilst at the same time considering that the issues raised are not uniquely ‘PE’ problems but also problems of society.

This is an AIESEP Connect session that is hosted by the new Social Justice SIG in AIESEP.

You can find all about the special interest groups of AIESEP here https://aiesep.org/special-interest-groups/

Our 2025 conference is in St. Petersburg Florida

We will be in Australia for a specialist seminar at the end of the year and in 2026 our world congress will be held in Taipei.

This is an informational session of AERA SIG 93

It was recorded in January 2025 and was meant to provide knowledge on the SIG history, where we are now, and where we are going; the unique networking and benefits of the SIG; the importance of SIG membership and its impact on the future of the SIG

If you publish research in the field of physical education you should really check out this professional organization. You can find all the information here https://www.aera.net/SIG093/RLIPE-SIG-93

The video of this presentation will be here https://www.aera.net/SIG093/Professional-Development-Opportunities

Our Australian colleagues chose a book chapter by the great Mark Byra from the University of Wyoming for their third article club. The chapter is titled “Inclusion style of teaching, student autonomy and responsibility” and this is in a book called the Spectrum of teaching styles in physical education.

This is the audio from the September 2025 AERA SIG 93 webinar about the new SHAPE America Standards. It is hosted by Chair Cory Dixon and the two guests are: Dr. Clancy Seymore and Langston Clark (both writers of the new standards)

This episode features the scholar lecture for BERA which is the British Educational Research Association. Within BERA there is a PESP SIG (phys ed and sport pedagogy). Each year, leading up to the wider BERA conference, they have a full day invisible college that features the scholar lecture. This year’s scholar lecture was given by Dr. Ash Casey from Loughborough University. The title of the lecture is “The ghosts of research past present and future: understanding the past to inform a future of models based practice research.

Thanks to Ellen Li for the recording!

Dr. Lauren Wheeler is a physical education teacher with the US Department of Defense, stationed in Germany. She has been a finalist for Minnesota Teacher of the Year due in part to her popular “Physically Healthy At That (PHAT)” program developed in collaboration with military partners to improve fitness outcomes for high school students. Dr. Wheeler completed her Doctorate of Education degree at the University of Pittsburgh and has published and presented at the American College of Sports Medicine. In this episode, Dr. Wheeler discusses her dissertation titled “Overcoming Trauma with Physical Activity: Implementing Edutainment within a High School Physical Education Class.”

Dr. Jamie Brunsdon is a third year Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy at the University of Memphis. Prior to moving to the University of Alabama in 2018 to complete his doctoral degree, Jamie was a full and part-time physical education in England. His research interests include studying teacher and faculty socialization and applied virtue ethics. In this episode, Dr. Brunsdon discusses his dissertation titled "Physical Education Teacher Education Futures."

This is the audio recording of the 2024 Catherine D. Ennis SIG Scholar Lecture. It is the highest honor awarded in the SIG and is named for a long-time SIG member Cathy Ennis who passed away in 2017.

This year's recipient is Dr. Kevin Andrew Richards (University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign) and he is introduced by his mentor and past dissertation advisor Dr. Tom Templin. The question and answer session is cut from the recording since it was hard to hear.

You can find more information about the SIG here https://www.aera.net/SIG093/RLIPE-SIG-93

Each year AERA SIG 93 hosts research sessions at the annual AERA conference. 2,000 word structured abstracts are due late July most years and the annual conference is mid to late April each year. Next year it will be held in Denver Colorado.

In this episode, Dr. Shelby Ison discusses the dissertation titled "Basic Psychological Needs, Affect, and Motivation Among Elementary Students in a Physical Activity-Based Wellness Program." Dr. Shelby Ison is visiting assistant professor at Northern Illinois University. Her primary research interests include understanding K-12 students' psychological experiences in health, physical education, and after-school wellness programs with emphasis on serving underrepresented communities through evidence-based practices and interventions.

In this episode, Dr. Brandon Foye discusses his dissertation titled "Examining Online Learning in K–12 Online Physical Education and Physical Education Teacher Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic". Following an 11-year career as a middle and high school physical education teacher, Dr. Foye enrolled in a doctoral program at Boston University. After completing his degree in 2022, he accepted a position as an assistant professor of practice at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND where he works today. He currently instructs students in the undergraduate Health Education/Physical Education program, as well as NDSU's online graduate program in Leadership in Physical Education and Sport Coaching. 

Dr. Seunghyun Baek is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Education department at SUNY Cortland. Seunghyun completed her Ph.D. in Kinesiology at University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2023 with Dr. Ben Dyson. She taught and worked with diverse student populations in the U.S. and South Korea, especially focused on Social and Emotional Learning in Physical Education. In this episode, Dr. Baek talks about her dissertation titled "Exploring Social and Emotional Learning in Physical Education and Classroom Settings at a Rural Elementary School".

In this episode, Dr. Shannon Mulhearn discusses her dissertation titled "Looking Inward: Does Physical Activity Promotion Training Transfer Beyond PETE?" Wellness promotion is the overarching theme that ties together Dr. Mulhearn’s body of work. Her current research focuses on innovative techniques of building resiliency in various areas of education, from elementary to higher education. She also considers how stakeholders within K-12 education can identify and overcome obstacles to the integration of whole-school physical activity programming. A third are of research relates to effective practices in teacher education, with a specific interest in physical education teacher education. Dr. Mulhearn currently teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in physical education at UNK, actively engages in the campus through committees and attendance at events, and is involved in the local Kearney community. She has given presentations at numerous regional and national conferences and has work published in many scholarly journals. 

In this episode, Dr. Stacey Imagbe discusses her dissertation titled "Culturally Relevant Physcial Education for Optimizing Physical Activity Opportunities." Dr.  Imagbe serves as a first-year assistant professor on a tenure track at Morehouse College, specifically within the Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education. Her primary area of focus lies in providing essential professional development for K-12 educators, aiming to enhance physical activity opportunities through culturally tailored physical education. Her work is dedicated to equalizing the access to physical activity and promoting fitness among Black and Brown children and adolescents.

Dr. Obi Atkinson is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Department at SUNY Cortland. Originally from Ontario, Canada, Dr. Atkinson recently completed his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in Sport Pedagogy. His research interests focus on variables and social agents that influence developmental outcomes for youth. Specifically, Dr. Atkinson explores teaching and coaching behaviors as well as contextual factors and social interactions that are most effective for youth’s performance, participation, and personal development in physical education and sport. In this episode, Dr. Atkinson discusses his dissertation titled "Exploring the Influence of U.S. High School Athletes’ Perceptions of Their Coach’s Communication on Constructs of Their Sport-Related Well-Being."

Dr. Margaret Hemstrought is assistant professor of physical education, exercise & wellness studies at Utica University. She completed here Doctorate of Education degree at Northeastern University with a concentration in curriculum, teaching, learning, and leadership. She has an MS degree from SUNY Cortland and a BS degree from Springfield College. She previously taught K-12 physical education and coached various sports. In this episode, Dr. Hemstrought discusses her dissertation titled "Physical Education Teacher Education Students' Perceptions of Physical Education."

Dr. Chris Mellor is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health of Sport Sciences at Adelphi University. He studies teacher socialization and the impact of washout on formal training. He is also passionate about the Spectrum of Teaching Styles, elementary methods, and supporting his students in fieldwork placements. In this episode, Dr. Mellor discusses his dissertation titled "An Appreciative Approach to Studying Wash-out During Professional Socialization: Washed Out or Never Washed In? A Case Study Examining Washout in Professional Socialization. 

Dr. Shannon Pennington is the Lead Teacher at the DREAM Academy in School District U-46, Elgin, IL. Dr. Pennington's doctoral studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign centered around trauma and its impact on student learning as well as social and emotional learning and support for teachers of marginalized subjects (e.g., art, music, physical education). In her current role, Dr. Pennington has initiated school-wide implementation of the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model in the alternative high school in which she works. She also supports teachers in an instructional coaching capacity and supports administration in its effort to build a model SEL school in Illinois' 2nd largest school district. She is in her 25th year of teaching which has included all grade levels from K-12 to higher education. As a graduate student, Dr. Pennington was named the H.E."Hek" Kenney Memorial scholarship award winner and a SHAPE America National Convention Curriculum and Instruction Scholar Lecturer in 2023. In this episode, Dr. Pennington discusses her dissertation titled "Developing Resilience and Enhancing Appraisals of Mattering Among Elementary Level, Non-Core Subject Teachers: Project DREAM."

This episode features the dissertation titled "Meeting Diverse Student Needs: An Examination of a Physical Education Teacher Alumnus’ Culturally Responsive Teaching Beliefs and Their Enactment" by Dr. Craigory Nieman. Dr. Nieman is Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction in Physical Education at the University of South Florida. He received his B.S. in Physical Education from Ohio University, an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tampa, and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Teacher Education at the University of South Florida. At the University of South Florida, Craig teaches undergraduate PETE courses and supervises preservice teachers during their clinical experiences. His research interests lie in preparing future teachers for diverse settings and culturally responsive pedagogy. 

Dr. Misti Mueller brings 18 years of public school teaching experience to her associate professor role at the VCU School of Education. She was selected as the Virginia Middle School Physical Educator of the Year in 2004, and more recently, as the state’s College/University Physical Educator of the Year. She has presented at the national, state and local levels on the topics of pedagogy and incorporating technology into the field of health and physical education as a means to enhance the educational experience for students. Currently Dr. Mueller serves as associate professor of teaching and learning and executive director of the Mary and Frances Youth Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. In this episode, Dr. Mueller discusses her dissertation titled "Physical Education: Class Climate and Adolescent Girls’ Physical Activity."

Dr. Chris Merica discusses his dissertation titled "Survey Development Examining the Association of Socialization and Physical Educator CSPAP Involvement". Dr. Merica is assistant professor of at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He received his BS and PhD degrees from the University of Idaho and has previously coached several high school sports and served as an athletic director and PE teacher. His research focuses on best practices for. physical activity leadership preparation in PETE. 

Dr. Tony Q. Cobb, Jr. a native from Macon, GA holds a Doctor of Education degree in Sports and Athletic Management from Northcentral University, and a Master of Science degree in Sports Management from American Military University. As a former collegiate athlete, he also obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Alabama State University. Dr. Cobb is a certified Georgia Professional Educator with a Level 7 certificate in Health and Physical Education K-12. He has extensive experience working in the education field, with his current position as an Adaptive Physical Education Specialist in a local school district in the state of Georgia. During his spare time, he serves as a Part-Time faculty member at Georgia Gwinnett College, teaching health and wellness and physical education courses. In addition to his work in education, Dr. Cobb has held positions as a health/physical education teacher in juvenile facilities working with at-risk youth in the state of Georgia and Alabama. Dr. Cobb has a passion for promoting physical education and wellness and has made significant contributions to various community programs.  His favorite quote is "To whom much is given, much is required". In this episode, Dr. Cobb discusses his dissertation titled "Perceptions of Physical Education Teachers Regarding the State of Georgia Physical Activity Curriculum and its Suitability for Incarcerated Juveniles."

Dr. Sophie Waller from the University of Georgia joins the podcast to discuss her dissertation research, "An Analysis of the Pedagogical Practices in Online Physical Education." We dive into her dissertation journey, highlighting the process and challenges. During this episode, Sophie shares her insights into some of the key learnings, both from her research, as well as the completion of her dissertation. Dr. Waller is  assistant professor at the University of Georgia, where she completed her PhD and MS degrees. She completed her BS at Catawba College.

Jenna Lorusso from the University of Limerick, Ireland, Hayley Morrison from the University of Alberta, and Ashley Johnson from Queens University join to discuss the article Scholarship and Grant Writing in Physical and Health Education: Top Ten Tips for Graduate Students published with Hayley Morrison and Ashley Johnson. We talk about tips on finding and writing scholarships and grants for HPE graduate students and early career scholars.

Full Cite: Lorusso, J. R., Morrison, H. J., & Johnson, A. M. (2023). Lorusso, J. R., Morrison, H. J., & Johnson, A. M. (2023). Ten top tips on scholarship and grant writing for graduate students in physical and health education. Revue phénEPS/PHEnex Journal, 13(3).

Twitter:

@jennaRLorusso

@Ms_HMorrison

@PHECanadaRC

Dr. Michael Hemphill (UNC-Greensboro) has an exciting new series to share. Here is a brief introduction to it. The first episode launches Jan 23rd and a new episode will come out each Tuesday at 7am eastern USA time. Stay tuned!

This is the audio from the PETE Collaborative from December 2023. It is a monthly meeting to discuss current issues in Physical Education Teacher Education and other topics relevant to health and PE.

Title: Establishing Institutional and Inter-Institutional Structures for Research and Outreach

Creating and sustaining structures for collaboration – whether for research, outreach, or another purpose – is an effective way for PETE faculty to contribute to the field in meaningful ways. This session will highlight several such structures that have been successful in various ways including through research output, undergraduate and graduate student development, community outreach, policy impact, etc. There will also be time for other members of the PETE Collaborative to share their own institutional and inter-institutional structures for research and outreach. We hope this session will spark ideas and connections within the collaborative.

This episode features Kevin Andrew Richards from the University of Illinois who shares about their pedagogy lab full of doctoral and undergraduate researchers. In addition to Univ of Illinois there are other larger groups of doctoral students at specific universities such as: Univ of New Mexico, UNC- Greeley, UNC-Greensboro, and Univ of Alabama. Many other universities have 1 or 2 PhD students at a time (for example George Mason University). This is why I felt it would be interesting to talk to Kevin who runs a lab of 12 fully funded doctoral students with his colleagues.

https://ahs.illinois.edu/teacher-licensure