Children’s experiences of pedagogies that prioritise meaningfulness in primary physical education in Ireland
Déirdre Ní Chróinín, Tim Fletcher, Stephanie Beni, Ciara Griffin, Maura Coulter
Abstract
This research explored the experiences of children (age 9–10) when five Irish generalist primary teachers positioned meaningfulness as the priority filter for their pedagogical decision-making in physical education (n = 37). Pedagogies that support meaningfulness include those that are democratic and reflective, and give attention to individual experiences. Data sources included non-participant observations (n = 10), pupil diary (n = 101) and focus groups (n = 21 in five focus groups). Children’s experiences were enhanced by shared ownership of the learning focus, collaboration on learning activities and teacher’s attention to individual experiences. Results provide direction on a coherent approach to prioritising meaningfulness in primary physical education.