Integrating Yoga into School Physical Education in India: Towards a Holistic Paradigm for 21st-Century Education

Background: A lack of physical activity (PA) and the occurrence of overweight and obesity among school-aged youth have become a major societal problem. Arising from the general concern about the future generations' health, schools have been found to be potentially important settings to promote positive health behaviour, since all pupils can be reached spending large amounts of time in the school environment. Moreover, it is beyond doubt that physical education (PE) has a key role to play. As in other European countries, the Flemish PE goals identify the importance of PA in the development and maintenance of good health. However, the discrepancy between the important role attributed to PE with regard to the development of a healthy and physically active lifestyle and the currently observed increasing sedentary and unhealthy behaviour of children and youth, is one of the reasons to question the efficiency of the current PE curricula. Aims: Within the framework of the Flemish education system, this paper aims to document on the pathways by which PE and schools can contribute to establish lifetime adherence to sport and physical activity in order to enhance and maintain young people's health later in life. From a public health perspective, this is one of the main challenges for PE in the forthcoming decades. Methods: The current PE curriculum requirements and implementation in Flemish schools are described as a starting point. Then, evidence-based recommendations are formulated in order to optimise the content and delivery of the PE curriculum towards its health-related goals. Conclusions: School PE has been recognised as the foundation base of the PA participation pyramid. Nevertheless, there is a need to move beyond the PE and school curriculum. Especially, schools, parents and the community should work together to encourage children and youth to be physically active. As a consequence, the PE teachers' role should not be restricted to the education of pupils during PE lessons, but should be expanded to include guiding youths in the process of becoming physically active both inside and outside school and for life. PE teachers have to accept this responsibility and this effort has to be recognised by the school board.

China's national physical education and health curriculum policies are the regulatory and guiding policies for China's school physical education and health curriculum. The policies highlight physical education and health as of great significance in building a healthy China (健康中国) and a sports powerful nation (体育强国). Most academic commentary on these policies to date focused on the content and the application of teaching on student learning, but few have analysed the socio-political imperatives and how the policies construct young people's bodies in particular ways. Policy embodies contested meanings and values, privileging certain positions, whilst silencing others; it thus makes a ‘problem' exist as a particular type of ‘problem' that rationalises and legitimises the ‘suggestions' proposed by the policy. According to Foucault, discourses are the socially produced forms of ‘knowledge' that set limits upon what is possible to think, write, or speak about; it creates an epistemic ‘reality'. In this sense, China's national physical education and health curriculum policies produce ‘problems' with particular meanings that affect what gets done or not done, and how young people live their lives. In this article, we draw on Foucauldian concepts, particularly notions of ‘discourse', ‘problematisation' and ‘governance', and adopt Bacchi's ‘What's the Problem Represented to Be' approach to explore what is the specific kind of ‘problematic' body of young people that are constructed and reflected in China's physical education and health curriculum policies. We argue that by representing the ‘problem' of young people's bodies as poorly performing, the policy documents construct a sense that good-performance bodies in sports are desirable and capable of contributing to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Importantly, this prioritisation of the good-performance body in sports prioritises not only good motor abilities in sports competitions, but also the body's ‘intrinsic’ sports morality.

Interest in the significance of sport in contemporary societies has usefully attracted attention to the social significance of boys' and girls' experiences in sport and physical education in schools as a significant aspect of their educational experience. The growth in critical research on the social dimensions and meanings of sport has encouraged long overdue scrutiny of the practice and educational significance of school based physical education and sport. It has also encouraged a broader view of education that takes into account the corporeal aspects of formal schooling (Evans, 1993, Kirk, 1996, Shilling, 1993). As Kirk (1993) contends, in the context of Western cultures that promote a restricted view of the body as a biological phenomenon, the significance of physical education and sport in education has long been overlooked. Drawing on Mauss' (1973) broader conception of education, Kirk argues that physical education and sport in schools are as much culture as nature and that the learning of bodily practices is a process, which is essentially woven into the fabric of everyday life.This study is concerned with what has been labelled as the hidden curriculum (Jackson, 1968) of school-based sport and physical education. The notion of the hidden curriculum as that which is implicitly learned and is unintended and distinct from the formal curriculum, has been productively used to explain how cultural and social learning is implicitly transmitted through students' experiences of physical education in schools. The implicit and unconscious nature of the social and cultural learning that results from the hidden curriculum makes it a highly significant element in the broader education of boys and girls in any culture. The notion of the hidden curriculum has enabled those concerned with the practice of school-based physical education and sport to highlight the central role that they play in the production and reproduction of gender, class and culture. Interest in the body and the construction of gender over the past decade has contributed to scholarly interest in the body in sport. This encourages long overdue critical inquiry into the links between the body, culture and the socio-cultural dimensions of boys' and girls' engagement in school-based physical education and sport. This study arose from my experiences as a rugby coach in Japan over a period of six years. During this time, while coaching at university and high school levels I encountered pedagogical problems that were connected to the ways in which rugby had been culturally transformed in Japan. This stimulated an interest in the connections between culture and the practice of sport within educational institutions and led to the undertaking of this study. Focused on the social dimensions of boys' experiences in, and through, elite level high school rugby in Japan and Australia this study examines the practice of rugby union football in two schools, in two distinctly different cultures. It draws on my experiences of coaching and playing in both cultures to interpret data generated from three-month ethnographic studies conducted at both sites. Within a theoretical framework provided by the methodology of French Sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu the study focuses on a small group of key informants at either site. It examines their corporeal and discursive experiences of rugby in the respective schools' top teams and the ways that such experiences formed a central component in their social development. It highlights the cardinal role that sport plays in the construction of masculinity and the production/reproduction of culture and class. In doing so it illustrates the profound significance of the young men's engagement in elite level school rugby for their social development and their future life chances.

This discussion draws on data from research that is investigating the impact of the 1988 Education Reform Act on the provision of sport and physical education in schools in Britain. The analysis explores the ways in which the political Right in the United Kingdom has attempted to both regulate and control the ‘re‐making’ of the National Curriculum and embed the principles and ideals of ‘cultural restoration’ in the curriculum of physical education in state schools in England and Wales. Specifically, the paper highlights the nature and significance of discursive strategies and the manipulation of institutional structures in the struggles to define what is to count as the ‘official pedagogic discourse’ of physical education in state schools. Drawing on the work of Bernstein (1990) the discussion points to the subtle way in which the consciousness of teachers and pupils may, in the future, be framed by the texts of the National Curriculum Physical Education (NCPE).

Background: School physical activity (PA) policy, physical education curriculum, teacher training, knowledge of physical fitness, and parental support are among the key issues underlying the declining trend of physical fitness in children and adolescents. The Chinese CHAMPS was a multi-faceted intervention program to maximize the opportunities for moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and increase physical fitness in middle school students. The purpose of the study was to test whether the levels of modification in school physical education policy and curriculum incrementally influenced the changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and other physical fitness outcomes. Methods: This 8-month study was a clustered randomized controlled trial using a 2 × 2 factorial design. The participants were 680 7th grade students (mean age = 12.66 years) enrolled in 12 middle schools that were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: school physical education intervention (SPE), afterschool program intervention (ASP), SPE+ASP, and control. Targeted behaviors of the Chinese CHAMPS were the student’s sedentary behavior and MVPA. The study outcomes were assessed by a test battery of physical fitness at the baseline and posttest. Sedentary behavior and MVPA were measured in randomly selected students using observations and accelerometry. Results: The terms contrasting the pooled effect of SPE, ASP, and SPE+ASP vs. Control, the pooled effect of SPE and SPE+ASP vs. ASP only, and the effect of SPE+ASP vs. ASP on CRF and other physical fitness outcomes were all significant after adjusting for covariates, supporting the study hypothesis. Process evaluation demonstrated high fidelity of the intervention in the targeted students’ behaviors. Conclusions: Chinese CHAMPS demonstrated the impact of varying the amount of MVPA and vigorous physical activity (VPA) on the physical fitness in middle school students in support of the need to increase the opportunity for PA in schools and to introduce high-intensity exercises in school-based PA programs. Modification of school policy, quality of physical education curriculum, and teacher training were important moderators of the improvement in physical fitness. (Trial registration: ChiCTR-IOR-14005388, the Childhood Health; Activity and Motor Performance Study).

The Chinese students' physical fitness was weakening from 1985 to 2005. Since 1995, almost all the physical fitness indicators have showed substantial decline over times. This study took this issue as the breakthrough point to examine how the physical education (PE) curriculum reform affected the students’ physical fitness in China. The primary and secondary school physical fitness literature has been reviewed. This study summarized the change of PE reform theory and practice during this period. Using the descriptive statistics, the proportions of physical activity in the PE curriculum of Chinese primary and secondary schools were analyzed. In the reform process of school PE in China from single dimension to multi-dimension, the generalization of PE function has blurred the essential function of physical fitness. The PE curriculum of 1992 in Chinese mandatory education was implemented for ten years. During this period, the economy has developed rapidly, and the curriculum showed a relatively weaken trend. Compared with the past curriculum, the PE curriculum of 1997 in Chinese high school has reduced the requirement of physical activity portion in PE classes. Furthermore, the physical activity and physical fitness evaluation were not paid enough attention in school evaluation and assessment. Due to insufficient course consciousness and ability, PE teachers have weakened the effectiveness of physical activity in PE teaching practice. Compared with the social, economic, and cultural development of China during this period, the reform of PE curriculum showed the weakening trend, which coincided with the tendency of students' physical fitness decline. Physical activity and fitness are the foundations to reach school PE goals. The weakening of physical activity and fitness would lead to the difficulty for students to achieve the objectives of strengthening students' health, cultivating interests and habits, mastering techniques, and improving motor ability in school PE. It is recommended to examine the tendency of continuous weakening of physical fitness in the current reform of PE in China, and take effective measures to improve the impact of insufficient physical activities on students’ physical health.

Introduction: Physical education can contribute to the goals of education in many significance ways. First physical education makes a unique contribution to the development of the total person. It is the only area of the school curriculum that promotes the development in the psychomotor domain. Second a quality physical education program enhances the health and wellbeing of students. Students who are healthy can learn more effectively, have more energy to expend on educational tasks. One of the main objectives of a physical education program is to advance the general well-being of each student (Wuest and Bucher, 1995). Methods: The objective of this study to assess the current status, challenges and the future prospects of physical education in the secondary schools of North Wollo zone. The sample consisted of 350 students and 7 physical education teachers drawn from three preparatory schools. The research methodology employed in the study was a descriptive survey. Questionnaires were the major data gathering instruments used in the study. Interview and observation were supportive data gathering instruments. Results: The results showed that students participation level and attitude towards physical education were low: high participation in physical education class and in different sport activities (97.35%), highly like to learn physical education class (21.17 %), high attitude towards physical education (13.23 %). Regarding to physical education curriculum: disagree on the existing curriculum of physical education satisfy needs of students (56.76 %), disagree on the contents of physical education can make you actively participate (57.35 %), instructional materials and facilities were adequate(strongly disagree, 52.64 %), the allotted time to physical education was not enough, physical education was not considered as basic subject. Conclusion: The findings show that students’ level of participation in physical education and in different sports and their attitude towards physical education was low in under study area. Instructional materials and facilities are the major factors for quality physical education in school. Moreover, it has been found that these ingredients were inadequately available in the schools under study. School facilities such as different play grounds, water to wash, different balls and different sport equipment were found to be insufficient. Keywords: Challenges, physical education, Current Status and Future prospects DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/47-02 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

Purpose: The introduction of the "Opinions on Comprehensively Deepening Curriculum Reform and Implementing the Fundamental Task of Establishing Virtues and Cultivating People" marked the initiation of comprehensive curriculum reform across all disciplines in our country, with a particular emphasis on key competencies. Among these competencies, those integral to the Physical Education (PE) curriculum have garnered increasing attention from scholars. Building upon this foundation, this paper systematically reviews and analyzes pertinent research on the key competencies within the PE curriculum. The exploration covers the development process, current research hotspots, and future prospects in this field, aiming to serve as a reference for future research on key competencies within the PE curriculum in our country. Methods: Employing CNKI as the database, the search keywords included "key competencies of PE curriculum," "key competencies of PE and health," "key competencies of students' PE," and "key competencies of PE teachers." Literature sources were sourced from SCI, SSCI, and the Peking University Core. A total of 130 relevant literatures were identified and subsequently analyzed using CiteSpace software. Results: The key competencies of PE curriculum have experienced three stages of development. The two research peaks are in 2018 and 2022, which’s closely related to Compulsory Education Curriculum Standards for PE and Health(2022) and High School Curriculum Standards for PE and Health(2017) in recent years. The promulgation of physical education (PE) curriculum standards in basic education not only provides a guiding framework for schools in the future but also serves as a crucial foundation for scholars to conduct in-depth research. The exploration of key competencies within the PE curriculum encompasses various aspects, including its fundamental meaning, constituent elements, training mechanisms, evaluation systems, developmental challenges, and practical approaches. Given that the key competencies of the PE curriculum are still in the early stages of development, they draw inspiration from the commendable experiences of foreign PE curricula. Furthermore, the assessment and training mechanisms and systems for these key competencies remain imperfect, and empirical research in this domain is still insufficient. Conclusion: It remains essential to explore the theoretical foundations of key competencies within the PE curriculum from diverse perspectives to ensure their firm establishment. Simultaneously, there is a commitment to prioritize the development of key competencies among PE teachers. Innovative approaches, such as cultivating models and evaluation systems for key competencies tailored to students at different levels or for PE teachers, will be implemented to facilitate further empirical research. This effort aims to genuinely achieve the vision of creating "sports-oriented individuals" and collectively build a promising future for school physical education.

The purpose of this paper is to explain the trend of school physical education reform in U.S.A. in the relation with the educational reform. After 1990 years, NASPE established a goal for the physical education of “A Physically educated Person” to do a school physical education reform. Then, NASPE showed the figure of the new physical education by the National Standard with making a goal for this physical educateon develop concretely.When future Japanese school physical education was built, the next two points of suggestion could get it as a result of the examination by this paper.1) A future physical education curriculum is intellectual, and it must contain recognition-like contents of learning. Then, a physical education curriculum must be composed of the thing which balance often contains intrinsic value and extrinsic value of the movement and sport.2) Before the physical education curriculum preparation, extensive argument in the various levels about the curriculum is indispensable. The academic society about the physical education and the sport education should shoulder responsibility for the preparation of the physical education curriculum at the same time.

ABSTRACTPrevious research shows that students have a widespread understanding about the purpose of physical education (PE), including learning about movement, health and also PE as a break from other school subjects. The present study aims at examining more closely the break perspective in light of interview data from 26 students, whose statements in interviews that focused on PE in upper secondary school in Norway, reveal that the view of PE as a break from other school lessons is also a valid understanding among students when they are approaching the end of PE in their schooling. We have asked what kind of learning the students’ views on PE as a break from other school subject are, or may be, in light of the Norwegian curriculum in PE in upper secondary school and to changes in the 2012 curriculum, which aimed to reduce performance stress and too much hunt for good grades. We present two interpretations of the interview texts – PE as ‘the movement moment’ in everyday school life, and participating in fun activities together with good friends, and a third interpretation, which we describe as a relatively invisible view of knowledge goals among the students about training and lifestyle and critical awareness about sport cultures in the society. We argue that a view of PE as ‘a movement moment’ in everyday school life contributes to modifying the view on PE as a break from other school subjects and to seeing it as a relevant learning perspective. On the other hand, a modified break perspective should be merged with knowledge and critical lenses on training, health, lifestyle and sport cultures in society, so that the students’ views on the purpose of PE all in all contain important knowledge and reflections they should have, according to the Norwegian curriculum in PE.

Sport plays an integral role in schooling institutions. It has hitherto been part of the curriculum, right from kindergarten, to the higher institutions of learning like colleges and universities. It is thus imperative to form a concrete system that will ensure its smooth operation. The School sports management system is efficient with this respect. The School Sports management system (SSMS) is a set of protocols, procedures, and techniques used in educational institutions to ensure that all the activities run conclusively and smoothly. In sports and sporting activities, numerous reforms are always put in place and implemented to establish and improve the operational processes. An existing SSMS should accommodate these reforms and incorporate them into school sports and physical education curricula, which is the objective of this paper. This paper aims at discussing how the SSMS can adapt to sports reforms and If the school wants to reform the function of physical education, it needs to innovate the sports management system. At present, there are many drawbacks in school physical education. The following problems hinder the development of school physical education to a great extent. First, the related funds of school physical education subjects are obviously insufficient, the related expenses of physical education subjects account for a small proportion of the total funds of the school. Compared with the growth of the total funds of the school, the proportion is small, the equipment is not updated in a timely manner, and the development of physical education subjects mainly depends on the school allocation, which makes it difficult to form a benign fundraising mechanism. Second, the allocation of resources in the use of school physical education funds is not reasonable, and the allocation among teaching, scientific research and training expenses of sports teams is not appropriate. Third, the physical education departments of colleges and universities lack rational and scientific management, and lack of vitality within the departments, which to a large extent hinders the effective play of physical education functions. Therefore, in view of the above problems, this paper puts forward several principles that should be followed in the development of sports management system in the future.accustom to the changes. We discuss the importance of a management system in school sports explicitly, expounding on its operation. We then provide a listing of the reforms sports have encountered in recent times and how they can be integrated into the school curriculum.

Tyrimo tikslas – atskleisti kūno kultūros situaciją Prienų rajono bendrojo ugdymo mokyklose mokytojų požiūriu. Tyrimo objektas – kūno kultūros situacija Prienų rajono bendrojo ugdymo mokyklose mokytojų požiūriu. Pedagogų apklausai atlikti buvo naudojamas klausimynas, parengtas remiantis Sporto mokslo ir kūno kultūros tarybos (ICSSPE/IOC) tarptautiniu tyrimu „Second World-wide Survey of School Physical Education, Final Report (Hardman, Marshall, 2009). Klausimynai išdalyti visose dvylikoje Prienų rajono bendrojo ugdymo mokyklų, o į pateiktus klausimus atsakė visi 22 (100 %) kūno kultūros mokytojai (12 vyrų ir 10 moterų). Išanalizavus atsakymus nustatyta, kad: a) kūno kultūros mokytojai pamokose dažniausiai moko ir daugiausia laiko skiria komandiniams žaidimams, lengvajai atletikai ir ne salėje (lauke) vykstantiems užsiėmimams; b) iš netradicinių fizinio aktyvumo veiklų dažniausiai naudoja šaškių ar šachmatų žaidimą, svarsčių kilnojimą ir smiginį; c) mokinių pažangą ir pasiekimus kūno kultūros pamokose vertina pažymiu; d) mokinius labiausiai vertina už jų parodytas pastangas ir pasiektą pažangą; e) atskirai berniukams ir mergaitėms kūno kultūros pamokas dažniausiai veda nuo 9 klasės; f) pamokas specialiosios medicininės fizinio pajėgumo grupės mokiniams veda kartu su visa klase; g) nuo pamokų dėl sveikatos ir laikinai dėl ligos atleistiems mokiniams dažniausiai siūlo šaškių ar šachmatų žaidimą, kūno kultūros užduočių sąsiuvinius ir pagalbą pamoką vedančiam mokytojui; h) kūno kultūros mokymo priemonių ir įrengimų kokybė mokyklose gera, o kiekybinis pasirinkimas – didesnis nei vidutinis; j) ir kūno kultūros dalyko, ir mokytojų statusas yra toks pat kaip kitų mokomųjų dalykų ir jų mokytojų mokykloje; k) svarbiausios mokyklinės kūno kultūros problemos, mokytojų požiūriu, – netinkama mokyklos sporto bazė ir per mažas kūno kultūros pamokų skaičius; l) daugiausia mokinių lankomi sportinės krypties neformaliojo švietimo būreliai mokyklose yra krepšinis, tinklinis, futbolas, badmintonas ir stalo tenisas; m) pagrindinės mokytojų taikomos mokinių dalyvavimo sporto būreliuose skatinimo priemonės yra varžybų organizavimas mokykloje ar dalyvavimas jose už mokyklos ribų, taip pat traktavimas, kad tai bus naudinga jų sveikatai arba būsimai profesijai.

ObjectiveTo establish the extent to which Rugby Union was a compulsory physical education activity in state-funded secondary schools in England and to understand the views of Subject Leaders for Physical Education with respect to injury risk.MethodA cross-sectional research study using data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (2000) from 288 state-funded secondary schools.ResultsRugby Union was delivered in 81% (n = 234 of 288) of state-funded secondary school physical education curricula, including 83% (n = 229 of 275) of state-funded secondary school boys' and 54% (n = 151 of 282) of girls' physical education curricular. Rugby Union was compulsory in 91% (n = 208 of 229) of state-funded secondary schools that delivered it as part of the boys' physical education curriculum and 54% (n = 82 of 151) of state-funded secondary schools that delivered contact Rugby Union as part of the girls' physical education curriculum. Subject Leaders for Physical Education also perceived Rugby Union to have the highest risk of harm of the activities they delivered in their school physical education curriculum.ConclusionNotwithstanding discussions of appropriate measures (i.e., mandatory concussion training, Rugby Union specific qualifications and CPD) to reduce injury risk, it is recommended that Rugby Union should not be a compulsory activity given that it has a perceived high risk of injury and is an unnecessary risk for children in physical education.

PurposeThe school subject of physical education (PE) has experienced a “health turn” globally. However, some university undergraduate programs may need to be revised to adequately equip pre-service teachers to teach about health in schools. The aim of this study was to explore the content of an undergraduate university program in PE and what is expected for pre-service PE teachers to teach about health in schools, according to the relevant curricula.Design/methodology/approachA pragmatic discourse analysis was conducted, using the Argentinean PE school curriculum for primary and secondary schools in the province of Córdoba and the syllabus of an undergraduate university program in PE in use in the same province.FindingsResults suggest that there is no health education content or teaching strategies offered in the university PE degree and that the brief content about health is mainly presented from a biological perspective and in relation to informal settings. The schools’ PE curriculum, however, demonstrate a broader and more holistic approach to health, including the topic of sexuality and healthy interactions with others and with the environment. Nevertheless, there is no definition of “health” or what it might mean to be “healthy”.Originality/valueThe knowledge produced by this study is crucial as it demonstrates the mismatch of the content and teaching strategies delivered in undergraduate degrees in PE and the requirements of what teachers are required to teach in school PE.

The Republic of the Philippines has been striving for quality physical education (PE). The country’s 2016 PE curriculum framework sought to optimise the promotion of active lifestyles, habitual behaviour in physical activities, and competency in physical development. This study explored the gap between PE professionals’ expectations and the reality of quality physical education (QPE) in Mindanao. The ‘Global Index of Quality Physical Education (GIQPE)’ survey was adopted to explore the practice of PE in schools from the perspectives of local PE teachers and professionals for PE curriculum development. Discussing whether their understanding of QPE is consistent with policies may help identify the barriers to local PE development. This research involved 558 participants from six cities of Mindanao to assess the eight dimensions of QPE development: skill development and bodily awareness, facilities and norms in PE, quality teaching of PE, social norms and cultural practice, governmental input for PE, cognitive skill development, and habituated behavior in physical activities. There was no statistically significant difference in QPE perceptions among the sexes, work experience, and positions. Differences appeared in all dimensions between the cities, with Marawi City achieving the lowest score. Sustainable peace against conflicts, sufficient national and local educational budget allocation, and efficient governance of local governments seem crucial to advancing QPE in Mindanao. A thorough investigation of PE in the country and a comparison of its development across the three major islands of the Philippines is recommended to help establish a culturally nuanced approach to QPE development.