Module

Secondary Physical Education Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy

Description - summary of the module content

Module description

Whilst taking this module you will examine a range of approaches to the teaching of physical education across Key Stages 3 – 5 as well as the theory that underpins this practice. To take this module, you will normally need to possess an upper second class or first class honours degree in a subject appropriate for teaching physical education in secondary schools.

This module will be taken alongside EDUM036 & EDUM052

Module aims - intentions of the module

The principal aims of the module are to:

•      enable you to gain a comprehensive and up to date understanding of the background theory, issues and practice relating to current teaching of physical education in the secondary curriculum;

•      support you to meet the Standards required for the award of Qualified Teacher Status; and 

•    nurture your development as a reflective and autonomous professional practitioner who is able to identify strengths and areas for development in your subject knowledge and pedagogy, through evaluating current professional practice in relationship to developments in research and educational theory.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. identify and evaluate educational concepts and issues related to physical education;
• 2. recognise pupils’ learning needs in physical education and interpret these learning needs in order to plan, teach, assess and evaluate lessons and schemes of work;
• 3. demonstrate secure subject content knowledge and pedagogic subject knowledge in physical education;
• 4. demonstrate secure understanding of the requirements of the National Curriculum for physical education;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. critically evaluate the relevance of educational theory to practice;
• 6. synthesise relevant educational literature in support of an argument;
• 7. use appropriate technologies for data handling and writing in education;
• 8. present data and findings in a form appropriate for educational contexts;
• 9. use research data in support of an argument in education;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 10. manage your own learning development;
• 11. learn effectively and be aware of your own learning strategies;
• 12. express ideas and opinions, with confidence and clarity, to a variety of audiences for a variety of purposes;
• 13. work productively in different kinds of teams (formal, informal, project based, etc); and
• 14. think creatively about the main features of a given problem and develop strategies for its resolution.

Syllabus plan

Syllabus plan

The module introduces students to current thinking in the teaching of physical education and develops students’ pedagogic and academic subject knowledge in the field of physical education. Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that key elements of the module will include:

• Lecture and Seminar Programme: This covers the theory and practice of physical education pedagogy.
• Directed Online Study Programme: This covers the theory and practice of physical education pedagogy.
• Peer Teaching: These sessions give you an opportunity to practice your teaching in a safe and supportive environment.
• Seminar Days: Five university-led days when studentsshare school-based work experiences and develop the links between the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching physical education.

On the Secondary PGCE, you will learn and reflect on the skills and knowledge required by the programme’s credit-bearing and non-credit bearing modules throughout the year. You will need to think about the modules in relation to each other. To facilitate this, the learning and teaching activities and guided independent study described below are scheduled to occur across all three terms both in the context of your university taught course and in the context of your applied professional experience in schools.

Learning and teaching

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Re-assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

If a submitted assignment is deemed to be a Fail, you will be given feedback outlining what needs to be done to bring the assignment to a pass standard and one opportunity for resubmission will be allowed.

You can choose to resubmit a failed assignment ‘in year’ (i.e. before the final PGCE Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) in July). The resubmission would normally be made 4 weeks after receiving feedback on the first submission. Alternatively, you may opt for your mark to remain as a fail mark at the APAC. You will then be referred to the College level Assessment, Progression and Awarding Committee who will confirm the conditions for resubmission of the work. Normally the resubmission should be by 1st September. You should discuss these options with your tutor.

Note: if you choose the second option, the award of PGCE will be delayed until the APAC following any successful resubmission (normally held in December).

If an assignment is deemed to be a Fail by the APAC, the mark obtained on resubmission will be capped at 50%.  If after submitting a revised assignment, you have still failed to gain an overall pass mark for the module, you will have been deemed to have failed the PGCE with no further opportunity for resubmission.   If however, you have passed the Professional Learning module, you can leave the programme with QTS only and can therefore gain employment as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT). If you pass both the physical education Subject Knowledge & Pedagogy and the Educational & Professional Studies modules but fail the Professional Learning module, you can leave the programme with a Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Studies in Education (PGCert) which does not confer QTS status.

Resources

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Capel, S., and Whitehead, M. (2015) Learning to teach physical education in the secondary school. London: Routledge.

Hatton, N. and Smith, D. (1995) Reflection in teacher education – towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11 (1), 33-49.

Mawer, M. (1995) The effective teaching of physical education. London: Longman.

Moon, J. (1999) Learning journals: A handbook for trainee teachers, academics and professional development. London: Kogan Page.

UK Coaching and afPE (2020) Safe practice in physical education, school sport and physical activity. London: UK Coaching & afPE.

Wood, D. (2006) How children think and learn. London: Blackwell.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

See PGCE Physical Education Course page on ELE ( http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/ )

Module has an active ELE page

Key words search

Secondary PGCE, Physical Education