Monitoring of physical education and other standards of a Whole Active School Approach and assessment of learning outcomes: a PE teacher and PE student pilot study of the EuPEO project in Germany

Abstract

This study of assessment of learning outcomes in physical education classes including a “Whole Active School Approach” (WASA) is a part of the Erasmus+ EuPEO project in Germany. 19 German PE teachers at n = 13 different secondary schools (rural area = 63.2%), cross 5 German countries with their n = 388 PE students (average age: 15.2 years; girls: 59.4%) were asked about their assessment of learning outcomes in PE teaching domains and the implementation of a WASA as a part of a questionnaire (European School Questionnaire (ESQ) for teachers and European Pupils Questionnaire (EPQ)). There is a clear ranking profile in the view of pupils about their assessment by PE teachers: the highest assessed criteria are social aspects like team work, respect and social relations with other class mates (85%), followed by physical competences with health-related fitness, motor skills and sport techniques (76%). In the ranking levels of achievements the motor domain ranked only in 4th position. Some teaching domains (social and behavioural purposes) seem to be of more importance in the view of teachers and their students than physical and motor development. Extra-curricular school sport is offered by more than 80% of the schools, but range of participation of pupils is low with around 32% assessed by teachers and up to 42% assessed by their pupils. Some other divergences in the view of teachers and pupils exist for the implementation of physical activities in recess (teachers 74%; pupils almost 60%) and after-school programmes (teachers about 53%, pupils about 23%). Data are discussed and divergences in assessment are explained in this study. Finally, a WASA to support daily physical activities does exist but really needs further support in school life.