An exploration of student voice in primary physical education

Abstract

Student voice has been described as a powerful tool in teaching and learning. As interest in student voice grows in research, policy, and practice in physical education (PE), calls have been made for additional guidance on the use of student voice pedagogies (SVPs) in everyday PE practice. The aim of this thesis was to explore my experiences, alongside those of my students, as I enacted SVPs in primary PE. An integrated ethnographic case study and Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices (S-STTEP) methodology was employed in this research. Guided by Lundy’s (2007) model of child participation, along with the Meaningful PE framework (Fletcher et al., 2021), I enacted SVPs in my primary PE practice across two academic years. Data sources included my personal reflections, transcripts of critical friend meetings, transcripts of focus groups with children, and children’s written reflections. Four peer-reviewed journal articles form the core of this thesis. Two of the four empirical articles relate to my experience of enacting SVPs in PE. Findings from these articles detail the successes and challenges of SVP enactment. Learning to enact SVPs in PE involved a non-linear process, in which a trial-and-error approach to implementation was required. The children’s experiences and engagement with SVPs were explored in two further empirical articles. Findings indicate that while children appreciate the additional autonomy afforded to them through SVPs, their participation needs to be scaffolded. Although enacting SVPs in PE is not without challenge, reflection and collaboration with my critical friend enabled me to overcome barriers to enactment and change my practice for the better. Employing SVPs, alongside reflective pedagogies, served to empower children to direct their learning, supported a collaborative approach to decision-making, and ultimately led to more personally relevant and meaningful experiences for children in PE.