Assessment in Physical Education in the Primary Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate in Spain: a qualitative study

Background: A comprehensive international literature review on alternative assessment in physical education has been provided by López-Pastor et al. ([2013]. “Alternative Assessment in Physical Education: A Review of International Literature.” Sport, Education & Society 18 (1): 57–76). The authors remarked that while more authentic forms of assessment in physical education have been evidenced over the last three decades, the extent to which alternative assessment practices have become common practice in the teaching of physical education is yet to be established. Purpose: This review provides an updated perspective on the prevalence of assessment for learning (AfL) principles in physical education discourse since the 2013 publication. The intent is to inform and consider future AfL practices in school physical education and physical education teacher education (PETE) programmes. Methods: Eligibility criteria for the review required full-text articles written in English or Spanish; published (open access and/or in print) in peer-reviewed, academic and professional journals; and limited to the period 2013–2019. Inclusion criteria required articles to report assessment being used to promote learning in physical education, regardless of making reference to ‘assessment for learning’. Findings: Fifty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. A thematic analysis of these articles resulted in four themes: i) traditional positioning of assessment in physical education; ii) AfL and physical education; iii) the constraints in enacting AfL in physical education; and iv) how to most effectively embed AfL in daily physical education practices. Conclusions: The main conclusions of this review are that i) AfL is a learning-oriented assessment based on socio constructivist theories and integrated into the teaching-learning process, ii) physical education teachers continue to use assessment solely to grade students; iii) physical education teachers do not have the necessary skillset to use AfL in physical education successfully; iv) physical education teachers need to be supported to implement AfL; and v) it is necessary to consider how best PETE programmes can infuse AfL across the programme.

Background: Incorporating assessment as a regular practice can enhance teaching and learning in primary physical education. However, there is little evidence to suggest primary teachers use assessment strategies regularly in their physical education classes. Purpose: To explore the impact of incorporating assessment into primary teachers’ physical education practices on (a) their perspectives on assessment and (b) teaching and learning in primary physical education. Methodology: Primary teachers in Limerick (n = 2) and Dublin (n = 3) participated in initial focus group interviews exploring practices and understandings of assessment in physical education. Each teacher then planned and delivered a series of lessons where assessment was considered in relation to the learning intentions. Their experiences were captured using reflective journals (Limerick) and a mid-point focus group interview (Dublin). Both groups of teachers participated in a third focus group interview after lessons were completed. Qualitative analysis by both researchers involved individual coding of the data using the constant comparison method followed by conversations on alignment of findings. Trustworthiness of the data was addressed using peer debriefing techniques. Findings: The inclusion of assessment in physical education lessons provided structure and focus to the planning, teaching and learning processes and impacted positively on both teacher learning and the children's learning. The assessment strategies focused the learners, allowed for feedback related to assessment criteria and informed future planning. Challenges for the teachers included the amount of time needed to plan, difficulty in accessing sample assessments and differentiating assessments for different class levels and abilities. Conclusion: The use of assessment strategies enhanced the quality of teaching and learning in physical education and impacted positively on the teachers’ and learners’ perceptions of physical education. The importance of supporting teachers, through provision of information on assessment strategies and samples of assessment strategies aligned with content in physical education to enhance their everyday practice, is highlighted.

The theme of this investigation was the assessment of (and to) the learning process, specifically the relationship between learning, assessment and teaching. Its theoretical system of references were the formative assessment and the critical perspectives of assessment in physical education at schools. In this sense, its objective was to identify and analyze learning experiences, assessment and teaching in a 3rd year class of Elementary School, seeking to contribute to the expansion and deepening of the discussions on this theme. The research was developed in two phases: bibliographical and field research; in a predominantly qualitative way, taking into account the social nature of our object. In the bibliographic phase, the discussions about the relationship between the learning process, the assessment and the teaching process were reviewed. The research's theme backgrounds were raised, as well as the studies that approach the concepts of learning, assessment and teaching in education and physical education. The field research phase involved the application of a questionnaire, observations and interviews. After a selection made starting from the answers given to the questionnaire, two teachers of the Teaching System of the City of Uberlndia were chosen -a physical education teacher and a primary school teacher -who taught the same 3rd year class of Elementary School. The treatment, organization and interpretation of the data were guided by the content analysis' conjectures. The data found pointed out limitations in the practices of both teachers regarding the articulation between learning, assessment and teaching. Among them are the dearth of systematic records on the students' performance, and the spontaneous and unplanned nature of the feedback offered to the students, to the detriment of a good, formative and intelligent feedback. The practice of the primary school teacher tended towards the traditional perspectives of teaching and assessment which, for us, moved her away from an assessment that deliberately and systematically aims to improve the learning processes. In the case of the physical education teacher, although there are weaknesses and dissonances regarding the consolidation of a 'formative assessment in physical education at school' -if it is possible to call it that way -it can be noticed that its practice valued the process of knowledge appropriation and it was opened to changes pointed out by the assessment, even if informal. Thus, it can be understood that the evaluative practice of this teacher moves away from traditional perspectives and approaches formative assessment.

The main purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of using formative assessment (FA) and authentic assessment (AA) in physical education (PE) teaching, based on some experienced teachers’ perspectives. Semi-structured interviews of four teachers were conducted and analysed. The results show how the teachers operationalised the FA and AA to support student learning. They emphasised that to obtain positive results for teachers and pupils, it is key that the teaching is organised with assessment in mind, and that the assessment is structured. The study concludes that with pedagogic knowledge and a positive attitude to use the FA and AA, it is possible to overcome the drawbacks revealed in the PE assessment literature. Nevertheless, these teachers belonged to communities of practice linked to the FA and AA in PE, which seems to be a key factor to achieve the desired ‘assessment literacy’ needed to initiate those changes in PE.

The purpose of this article is to contribute to discussion as to whether the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) meets the needs of early childhood (3-5 years old) learners. The research underpinning the article adopted a mixed method approach comprising both a qualitative and a quantitative framework located in six private Spanish schools across three autonomous communities. The research compared perceived difficulties of Early Years teachers and Primary teachers regarding PYP implementation. Aspects of the PYP involved in the research aligned to the IB Standards and Practices. This document, revised periodically, regulates the implementation of IB programmes around the world. The basis of the structure of the research has a direct alignment with those Standards (philosophy, organization, curriculum and assessment). These core themes take the discussion beyond the PYP when considering best practice. A questionnaire was delivered to all full-time PYP teachers, and qualitative analysis was undertaken of the main school documents such as IB preliminary visit reports, school action plans, studies of parent satisfaction surveys, professional development plans, Programme of Inquiry, Units of Inquiry, assessment tools and IB authorization reports. While the document analysis highlighted some areas of difficulty, it was the quantitative comparison that emphasized significant differences in perceived difficulty of PYP implementation between these Early Years and Primary teachers. Although results of the research, in general, are favourable regarding perceived ease in the implementation of PYP philosophies as well as fundamental aspects, there were perceived differences between these two groups regarding specific items. Early Years teachers in and among the schools found 32 items significantly more difficult than did Primary teachers, including the use of transdisciplinary theme descriptors, key concepts, and the Learner Profile. Regarding assessment, Early Years teachers expressed having more difficulties than did Primary teachers in making their students work with their portfolios and using student-led conferences. However, the role of constructivism was one of seven items perceived as easier for Early Years teachers.

The holistic approach of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes encourages students to become active, compassionate and life-long learners. The IB defines its international education programmes through a learner profile that consists of ten attributes; inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective [33]. For students to reach all IB learners profile attributes they need to be self-regulated learners [36]. Students’ self-efficacy beliefs are one of the components of self-regulated learning [15], and a key component of social cognitive theory [4]. Self-efficacy beliefs also contribute to students’ academic achievements, motivations and learning [41]. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is the IB curriculum framework for children aged 3-11 that offers an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum framework building conceptual understandings. By learning through inquiry PYP students use their initiatives and take responsibility for their own learning [33]. This approach in learning claims to build students’ self-efficacy that contributes to self-regulation [36]. The paper presents an inductive qualitative study capturing the impact of implementing the IB PYP on students’ self-efficacy beliefs. The study was conducted in an IBPYP candidate school in Alexandria (second largest city in Egypt), which had been implementing the PYP for two years. Data was collected through four focus group discussions from different stakeholders; leaders, teachers, students and parents. The study findings revealed the perspectives of the different stakeholders about the reasons behind students’ self-efficacy beliefs. The study resulted in an interpretation of a spiral for the different aspects of PYP pedagogy that relate and integrate to support students’ self-efficacy beliefs. The study resulted also in identifying specific aspects in school culture that support students’ self-efficacy beliefs. The findings of the study will be beneficial to students, teachers, leaders, syllabus designers, and policy makers in IBPYP schools.

This paper discusses the concept of assessment and the move to School-Based Assessment (SBA) within Malaysian current schooling system, which was very much examination-oriented. SBA was previously partially implemented in Malaysia. Nevertheless beginning 2011, SBA was made as an educational policy that needs to be implemented in primary as well as lower secondary schools. It presents the understanding, preparation and experience of Physical Education (PE) teachers with regards to the change in the schools assessment approach and how they had implemented SBA in this subject, namely Health and Physical Education (HPE) for lower secondary school. This paper discusses the case of SBA in Physical Education because this subject covers the theoretical as well as the physical implementation aspects. This qualitative study was recently carried out to explore the challenges faced by the teachers when implementing SBA in PE. The paper highlights the challenges faced by the teachers and how they overcome these challenges. The findings show that PE teachers faced three major challenges, namely core knowledge of the subject, assessment facilities and equipment, and PE classroom management. The study contributes towards the knowledge about PE teachers’ orchestration and design of classroom instructions within the context of SBA.

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme supports the learning of languages and cultures, but the role of the additional language within this programme is often unclear. There remains a great variability in schools regarding the frequency of lessons and the way that the additional language is taught within the Primary Years Programme. Better defining the role and place of the additional language teaching within the PYP is important in helping the International Baccalaureate, schools and teachers to create curriculum content and teaching materials in order to meet the needs of families and students within schools. This article investigates perceptions of community members with respect to the place and purpose of additional language teaching within the Primary Years Programme.

Background Although assessment in physical education (PE) is a complex pedagogical work that is strongly influenced by primary teachers, few studies have focused on their lived experiences in the continuum between past instances of receiving assessments as PE students and current instances of conducting assessments as primary PE teachers. Purpose This study explored the phenomenological meanings of assessment in PE based on primary teachers’ lived experiences of being assessed as PE students in the past and those of assessing as primary PE teachers in the present. The specific research questions included: ‘What is it like to be assessed as PE students’ and ‘What is it like to assess as primary PE teachers?’ Methods ‘Phenomenology of practice’ (van Manen 2016b. Phenomenology of Practice: Meaning-Giving Methods in Phenomenological Research and Writing: Developing Qualitative Inquiry. Abingdon: Routledge) was applied to capture the primary teachers’ lived experiences, with a focus on their histories and current experiences of receiving and conducting PE assessments. Participants included a total of five primary teachers (two males and three females). Relevant information was collected through two semi-structured interviews and lived experiential writings. All obtained data were analysed and coded through a two-step process, including (a) an elucidation of life-world existentials (i.e. lived body, lived space, lived time, and lived relation) and (b) a thematic analysis that was conducted with the NVivo 12 software. Findings Based on participant responses, past lived experiences of being assessed as PE students were categorised into the following components: (a) trembling body, (b) stage forcing bodily monologue, (c) in the twinkling of an eye, and (d) Big Brother is watching me. On the other hand, current lived experiences of assessing as primary PE teachers were categorised into the following components: (a) cloning past PE teacher’s body, (b) shift from joyful playground to rigid court, (c) incompatible time like oil and water, and (d) compassionate encounters. Discussion We found that the phenomenological meaning behind primary teachers’ lived experiences of being assessed as PE students in the past was ‘side-lining their own bodies and learning’, while the meaning of assessing as primary PE teachers in the present was ‘groping in the dark while flashing back to the past’. Although assessment illiteracy persisted from the past to present, primary teachers constantly revised and modified their current PE assessment practices in consideration of individual student attributes and needs. Conclusions From a phenomenological perspective, PE assessments were nuanced and complex practices, in which primary teachers worked as agents for advancing PE assessments from a dialectical standpoint. This involved two continua, including the past–present and theory–practice.

Assessment is one of the most fraught and troublesome issues physical educators have had to deal with over the past 40 years or so. In light of the challenges this situation presents, in this paper we provide an overview of the international literature on assessment in school physical education. We give an account of both traditional and alternative forms of assessment, focusing in particular on recent approaches that may be considered belong to the latter category of assessment. We found that traditional assessment instruments such as Physical Fitness Tests and subjective assessment criteria such as grading students' effort and clothing have been popular approaches to assessment. We also found alternative assessment approaches now in use that have a stronger educational focus. Thus, while we consider that this overview of research studies provides evidence of genuine progress in an area that has been fraught with difficulties for physical education as an educational endeavour, there is work to be done to disseminate what we understand to be good assessment practices. In closing, we briefly note some further challenges for research on assessment in physical education.

As a subject discipline frequently marginalized within the school system, enduring approaches to assessment do little advance the status of physical education. Current assessment practices in physical education are often disconnected from curricular outcomes, subjective in nature, and focused on assessment of learning rather than assessment for or as learning. Although assessment practices in physical education are routinely criticised for being poor, there is a paucity in assessment-focused physical education research. While physical education teacher education makes claims about a focus on student-centered formative assessment, the ongoing practice of ‘assessment of learning’ continues to be the prevailing model in schools. Completing a self-study using narrative inquiry, three physical educators at different stages of their career investigated their experiences with assessment in physical education. This research team came together hoping to improve their assessment practice and perhaps influence other physical educators. The educator’s stories, along with emails, documents, transcribed notes from meetings, and field notes from the lead researcher, became the data. Our findings suggest the need for ongoing physical education assessment-focused professional development. Equally significant, there is a need to establish communities of practice focused on supporting physical educators who often work in isolation or feel marginalized within the system.

This article arises from a systematic review of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). Four databases were consulted, and after the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 articles were selected and analysed in the following categories: year and author, country, type of research, participants, purpose and results. The results show a growth in PYP research in recent years, coming from several countries around the world, using mainly qualitative or mixed methodologies with small samples of teachers, students, administrators and families in IB schools. There is great variety in the purposes of the studies, the most representative being comparative analysis of the implementation of the programme, the use of a language for IB teaching other than that of the country in which the school is located, and the treatment of interculturality. These studies find differences in the ease of implementation of the programme depending on the context and geographical location of the schools, and also highlight the benefits of the programme for intercultural education and foreign language learning. Some tensions can be observed between the PYP curriculum and national policies, and also in the training and predisposition of teachers towards this particular methodology. More research is needed on the academic benefits of the PYP in comparison with other methodologies that are also working well at the curriculum level.

The international agenda for assessment continues to convey a growing interest in assessment for learning (AfL) as a tool to support learning and enhance teaching. Complementing this, the recent literature on assessment in physical education acknowledges the need for physical educators to integrate AfL into their teaching and assessment practice as an important part of the future development of the subject. Appreciating that physical education must be recognized as part of the larger movement culture in society and is a place to learn about movement culture, this study explores how AfL is understood and enacted by physical education teachers and the extent to which such enactment complements or challenges learning movement cultures within physical education. This study shares how three Norwegian physical education teachers used AfL to term what they were practicing with respect to assessment in physical education. We follow the interactions of the selected teachers throughout focus groups, using the empirical data as our ‘dialogue partner’ in reconstructing and discussing their assessment stories. We conclude that the need of embedding AfL in learning theory may well be one of the strongest challenges to enacting AfL in physical education. We acknowledge that not only are most existing theories of learning defined cognitively, but also that learning connected to physical education and activity is, to a large extent, practical and embodied, and also linked to the powerful discourses of sport and related areas such as health.

This qualitative research study aimed to answer the question, "How do IBPYP teachers in a naturalistic collaborative approach experience the vertical alignment of their Program Of Inquiry?" The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (IBPYP) provides no explicit content, external examination, or moderation and the Standards and Practices are intentionally left broad to accommodate all the International Baccalaureate (IB) schools. This contextual exploratory study investigated how teachers structured their curriculum with alignment in mind based on the guidance they received. Two case studies in a private international IBPYP school in Europe that followed the IBPYP standards alone and a publically funded national school in the U.S. that followed an additional layer of national standards sought to uncover the experiences and strategies the IBPYP teachers developed. Four themes emerged from semi-structured group interviews of K-5 classroom teachers: (1) Teachers' assumptions about collaborative planning demonstrated that collaboration doesn't just happen and requires pre-requisite structure and ability to deal with conflicts; (2) Teachers' assumptions about curriculum and curriculum alignment revealed the perception that all teachers are responsible for curriculum alignment and disclosed some related barriers; (3) Teachers' challenges in planning their Program Of Inquiry detailed the design steps and challenges. (4) Alignment processes and strategies summarized the perspectives and strategies used in schools, and the need for explicit IBPYP curriculum alignment guidance.

Background: Despite the evidence that many girls and some boys are regularly subjected to inequalities within school physical education (PE) in Norway today, and international research showing how physical education teacher education (PETE) courses often construct unequal learning opportunities for their students on the basis of gender, few teacher educators' ‘instructional discourses’ seem to reflect these findings about gender relations. In fact, there is very little empirical research available about PE teacher educators in general and how they develop their professional identities. Purpose: This study has aimed to illuminate the duality of structure of PE teacher educators' professional identities and of the social construction of gender in PETE. By gaining a better understanding of the way in which we are both structured by PETE culture, and yet at the same time structure the culture, PE teacher educators may be better positioned to combat discriminatory practices. Participants and setting: Four PE teacher educators (aged between 31 and 42 years, with 5–13 years of teaching experience in PETE) from three universities offering PETE in Norway comprise the ‘purposeful sample’. Research design: The qualitative study is based upon social constructivist theories of professionalism and gender. It asks: ‘Are PE teacher educators’ professional identities constructed as technical or moral projects?' and ‘How are gender, gender equality and equity constructed in PETE?’ Data collection: Data were collected via in-depth interviews (two per informant), researcher log books and policy documents. Policy documents were downloaded from university websites or provided by the informants (for example, course plans and literature). Data analysis: Data were coded and analysed using a ‘content analysis’ approach, in which emerging themes were identified in relation to what being a professional PE teacher educator means and how gender equality and/or equity are constructed within PETE. Findings: The PE teacher educators' identities in this study are closely linked to a performance identity and a desire to pursue a love of sport. Their professional knowledge is based on knowing ‘what and how’, rather than asking why PE students should learn certain things. Their identity projects can be classified as technical rather than moral: the teacher educators are not concerned with developing students as democratic citizens with an interest in social justice; rather, they are interested in the successful transmission of the ‘truths’ of PETE to tomorrow's teachers. They are mostly interested in PE didactics and show little, if any, interest in pedagogical theory. Gender is not perceived as an important factor in the learning arena; it is perceived as a biological given. The teacher educators seem to exercise autonomy in PETE and their practice can be characterised as private, rather than collective. Conclusion: The PE teacher educators' lack of a theoretical understanding of gender unwittingly leads them to perpetuate a discourse which discriminates against many young female and some male students in PETE. Today's neo-liberal, outcome-driven teacher education tends to strengthen the PE teacher educators' technical view of professionalism and provides little room for alternative professional identities. PE teacher educators may benefit from the sharing of self-narratives about our gendered, professional identities with the view to engaging in fruitful continual professional learning.