Aim of the Project

The Project sought to examine the relationship between the revised physical education syllabus and existing school provision in terms of established methodologies, teaching resources, in-career development and assessment practices. As a result of the operation of the Project it was hoped to provide clear direction for future implementation strategies in the area of physical education. On an operational level the Project would seek to establish a dynamic link between syllabus revision/development and a controlled, limited implementation.

In setting out to achieve this aim a project structure was put in place that involved  a Steering Committee, Project Officers, a Core Group of teachers (with design and planning responsibilities) and a number of Pilot Schools. The given the proposed nature of the project the NCCA Course Committee maintained a very close working relationship with the project at all times.

An External Evaluator was appointed at an early stage. The brief of this evaluation focussed on the operational effectiveness of the Project with particular emphasis on the appropriateness of the project structure in the achievement of the stated aim. The Evaluator’s report is reproduced in the appendices of the Final Report.

The project model reflected the significant role of participating teachers at all levels and was modified to take into account the increased teacher workload arising from involvement, the impact on co-operating schools and the extent of their geographical spread. In addition, the project required an extensive exchange of information between various parties within the project.

Objectives

·        To evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of new or revised aspects of the physical education syllabus as designed by the course committee.

·        To enable participating teachers to examine and evaluate their teaching methods.

·        To encourage teachers to report and reflect upon the learning process within the programme and identify the factors which facilitate / hinder this.

·        To evaluate the practical implications of the introduction of formal assessment of physical education.

·        To create a foundation for the successful introduction of a new physical education syllabus into post primary schools.

·        To devise and evaluate a “training trainers” model of in career development for physical education teachers.