Abstract
Objectives
Recent studies have highlighted how PE can enhance students’ life skills, yet little is known about how students develop their life skills in PE and transfer such skills to other areas of their life. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore: 1) What life skills students develop in PE, 2) How these life skills are developed in practice, and 3) Do these life skills transfer to other life domains.
Design
A qualitative methodological design consisting of in-depth semi-structured interviews was employed to obtain detailed insights from PE teachers experiences.
Methods
Audio-recorded interviews lasting an average of 40 minutes were conducted with 11 teachers (Mean age = 37.9 years; Teaching experience = 14.1 years) from the northwest of England. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis using NVivo software was conducted to analyse the data.
Results
Six key themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 1) the key life skills developed through PE (e.g., teamwork, communication, leadership, & resilience), 2) the importance of life skills for differing students, 3) considering student's individual needs when teaching life skills, 4) practical strategies for life skills development (e.g., explicit & implicit learning, teachable moments, & role modelling), 5) the transferability of life skills to other domains (e.g., schoolwork & home life), and 6) key barriers to life skills development (e.g., time constraints & an exam focus).
Conclusions
The findings provide key insights into how teachers value life skills and support their development and transfer to other areas of student’s lives.
Recent studies have highlighted how PE can enhance students’ life skills, yet little is known about how students develop their life skills in PE and transfer such skills to other areas of their life. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to explore: 1) What life skills students develop in PE, 2) How these life skills are developed in practice, and 3) Do these life skills transfer to other life domains.
Design
A qualitative methodological design consisting of in-depth semi-structured interviews was employed to obtain detailed insights from PE teachers experiences.
Methods
Audio-recorded interviews lasting an average of 40 minutes were conducted with 11 teachers (Mean age = 37.9 years; Teaching experience = 14.1 years) from the northwest of England. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis using NVivo software was conducted to analyse the data.
Results
Six key themes emerged from the thematic analysis: 1) the key life skills developed through PE (e.g., teamwork, communication, leadership, & resilience), 2) the importance of life skills for differing students, 3) considering student's individual needs when teaching life skills, 4) practical strategies for life skills development (e.g., explicit & implicit learning, teachable moments, & role modelling), 5) the transferability of life skills to other domains (e.g., schoolwork & home life), and 6) key barriers to life skills development (e.g., time constraints & an exam focus).
Conclusions
The findings provide key insights into how teachers value life skills and support their development and transfer to other areas of student’s lives.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 30 Nov 2021 |
| Event | British Psychological Society - Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Conference - Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom Duration: 29 Nov 2020 → 30 Nov 2021 https://www.delegate-reg.co.uk/dsep21/ |
Conference
| Conference | British Psychological Society - Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology Conference |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | BPS-DSEP |
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | Liverpool |
| Period | 29/11/20 → 30/11/21 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- Life Skills
- Physical Education