I have talked before about model-based practice (i.e.alternative approaches to teaching in physical education that put the student’slearning at the top of the agenda and which seeks to align teaching, learningand content). I believe that these models-based approaches are the future ofteaching in physical education whilst also acknowledging the fact that we needto teach teachers how to use them properly, and modify them for their ownschools, classrooms and students.

In the last few weeks, as part of my own explorations andresearch into MBP, I have been trawling through the many academic,peer-reviewed journals in which empirical studies of MBPs have been published. SpecificallyI have been reviewing the published literature around MBP that directlyexamines a) teachers use of and b) teaching and learning as a result of MBP.The overwhelming outcome of this extensive review (of 37 papers and counting) isthat MBP works and that it is exciting and vibrant approach to teaching in physicaleducation. The vast majority of the many hundreds of teachers involved in thesestudies agree that MBP was a good alternative approach to teaching in physicaleducation and many preferred it to the tradition multi-activity curriculum thatcurrently operated in their schools.

On a cautionary note the review also suggests that MBP is nota straightforward alternative to traditional teacher-led approaches and that ittakes time to learn to teach in a new way. There are risks involved inpedagogical change but the rewards, it seems from listening to these teachers,are centred on enhanced student learning and are worth the extra effort. Thestrongest changes occurred when teachers worked in collaboration withUniversities and their learning communities. Such unions, one of thecornerstones of the development of the PEPRN site, helped teachers not only toadopt these models but also to modify them so they were effective at anindividual classroom level.

If you would like to be involved in some up and comingcollaborations that we are proposing then please contact me through thewebsite.