Outcomes

In measuring the extent to which the project was successful in achieving its aim, the following key outcomes were identified

·        A significant and substantial set of teaching materials, specifically related to the Irish context, were designed and tested by teachers

·        Teachers evaluated the effectiveness and appropriateness of some aspects of the new physical education syllabus through their use of the pilot materials

·        Participant teachers evaluated their methodologies in complying with the various forms of feedback required of them and shared their findings and opinions with members of the PEPP team and their peers on the occasion of the regional focus group meeting

·        It is clear that the pooling of ideas at the pilot group gatherings and on occasions of in-service, promoted the professional development of the teachers involved. This aspect of the work is all the more significant in the light of the isolation felt by many teachers who are very frequently the sole physical education practitioner in a given school

·        The pilot project addressed the issue of assessment in physical education and how the practice of teachers might need to be adapted. It is clear that the project was less successful in evaluating the practical implications of the introduction of formal assessment of physical education than in other aspects of its work. A number of factors might be attributed to this failure, but the most significant would be ‘lack of time’ in the face of teacher reticence

·        The exercise has contributed to a heightened awareness amongst the profession, school management, students and indeed parents of the value of a high quality physical education programme. In many instances it also highlighted the need to effect change in order to advance the provision of this subject area

·        The “training of trainers” model was modified and applied to meet the needs of the project. The outcome was more far reaching than that implied in its title and arising from the pilot experience the Core Group were able to fulfil a number of functions. These included:

• Production of teaching materials in each activity area
• Provision of the associated in-service
• Revision/refinement of the teaching materials on the basis of the feedback gained from each pilot phase.
• The operation of the project resulted in a significant segment of the profession gaining an in-depth understanding of the approach to be taken with junior cycle physical education This allied to the outcomes listed above has consolidated the movement towards change in respect of physical education. In this regard it appears that a foundation was created by the pilot project for the introduction of a new physical education syllabus in second level schools.
• The project experience (emerging primarily, but not exclusively, from the responses of Principals and participating teachers) suggests a number of significant issues relating to provision made for physical education in schools:

1. Time allocation; many schools reported that a timetable allocation of 2 periods per week for all Junior Cycle students (2 hours is the allocation recommended in the revised syllabus for Junior Cycle) would not be possible or at least extremely difficult to provide. In the application phase of the project a significant number of schools raised this requirement as a matter of concern.
2. Availability of qualified teachers; Principals expressed concern at the shortage of teachers for substitution. While this of itself was a problem for the project it will almost certainly prove much more of a problem in any national implementation strategy where substitution will be more widely in demand. This shortage may by extrapolation give rise to much more serious difficulties in the event of increased demand arising fron the introduction of other syllabuses. There appears to be a reasonably immediate need to investigate the teacher supply issue and its impact on the development  of  physical education in post-primary schools.
3. Resource/facility provision; the project sought to limit extra demands made on schools as a result of participation in the project. Nevertheless schools frequently reported a shortage of appropriate provision in this regard. This was especially true where schools sought to extend their provision. In the light of the perceived need to broaden the physical education curriculum at Junior Cycle  this response is of special concern.