Matt Atencio Mike Jess

1

Implementing a Complex Continuing Professional
Development Agenda in Scottish Physical Education
(Part 1) Matt Atencio, Mike Jess, Kay
Dewar University of Edinburgh Complexity
Conference Aberdeen University January 2009
2
Introduction

• In recent years, much written about the need for
  change in Physical Education
• e.g. Penney Chandler, 2000 Jess Collins,
  2003 Kirk, 2004 Scottish Executive, 2004
  Wright 2004
• Increasing focus on the dominant Curriculum
  Pedagogy PE models
• Main drivers now include lifelong learning,
  inclusion and connectivity agendas
• Significant impact on the importance of, and
  approaches to, Professional Learning (CPD)

3
Introduction

• Scottish context for change in PE positive since
  2000

4
Introduction

• BUT
• Limited and inconsistent Primary PE CPD (and
  secondary) in Scotland
• Some teachers have no PE-CPD over their career
  (HMIe, 2001)
• Traditional top-down filling the empty vessel
  short course one off off site approach
  tends to dominate
• Some authorities have PE specialists to support
  but numbers and approaches vary
  considerably..some have no specialists
• Recent PE-CPD research suggests professional
  learning is a much more complex process

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The Presentation

• What do we mean by complexity theory in relation
  to education and, in particular, CPD?
• How has our understanding of complexity theory
  informed the initial CPD efforts of the
  Developmental Physical Education Group (DPEG) at
  the University of Edinburgh?

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Understanding Complexity Theory

• From a human behaviour perspective
• Complexity theory considers the emergent
  processes by which we make sense of, and interact
  with, an ever-changing world
• Complex systems are not pre-programmed but made
  up of parts that interact flexibly both
  internally and with the external world
• These unpredictable interactions allow systems to
  adapt and develop in response to ever-changing
  environmental demands
• New patterns of activities and new rules of
  behaviour emerge (Davis and Sumara, 2006, p.5).
  
• As such, our world is self-organising and
  non-linear and emergent.

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Complexity Theory Education

• Complexity has implications for learning as it
  (learning).
• Emerges from the interactions between the system
  parts, which themselves are shifting, dynamic,
  and diverse.
• Is a nested collaborative and constructivist
  endeavour which views pupils, teachers, head
  teachers and administrators as inextricably
  linked
• Does not view learners as empty vessels whose
  minds need to be filled with set knowledges .
  
• Reflects a break from simplistic behaviourist
  notions of cause-effect and linear predictability
  

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BUT

• No intention to present a polarised picture of
  education with complexity portrayed as good and
  behaviourism as bad.
• Propose a shift in emphasis from more
  behaviourist notions of learning and CPD to
  conceptions that are more complex, emergent,
  collaborative and inclusive.

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The DPEG

• DPEG aims to influence the long term change
  agenda in PE through the development, delivery
  and evaluation of a lifelong developmental
  physical education programme
• Phase 1 (1999-2013)
• Focus on complex change agenda in 3-14 age range
• Curriculum Development (AARE, 2008)
• Pedagogy (AARE, 2008)
• Professional learning (Aberdeen, 2009)

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The Developmental Physical Education Programme
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The DPEG CPD Project (2001-2011)

• Since 2001, alongside the curriculum and pedagogy
  developments, DPEG engaged in an increasingly
  complex CPD project
• Phase 1 The Basic Moves Project (2001-2007)
• Phase 2 Larger Scottish Primary Physical
  Education Project supported by the Government
  from 2006-2011.
• Presentation specifically focuses on first phase
  (2001-2007)
• A series of non-linear but interrelated CPD
  episodes
• Traditional top-down CPD courses
• Creation of emergent bottom-up self-organising
  learning communities.

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The DPEG CPD Project (2001-2011)

• With many planned and unplanned activities, the
  project is
• multi-dimensional, non-linear, interconnected
  and unpredictable (Kuhn, 2008, p.182)
• Illustrative of a self-organizing complex system.
  
• As the CPD project progressed
• Increasing focus on collaborative learning and
  complexity driven principles
• Ever-expanding and diverse range of nested
  individuals, groups, institutions and agencies.

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Basic Moves (2001-2007)

• Two related developments.
• Basic Moves
• Alternative early years physical education
  curriculum (i.e. aged 5-7 years) (Jess, Dewar
  Fraser, 2004)
• Set out to help all children acquire a basic
  movement foundation to support their current
  physical activity engagement and also to scaffold
  their future physical activity participation.
• As emerged as a credible curriculum and pedagogy
  alternative to traditional multi-activity models,
  professional learning of two distinct groups of
  change agents emerged

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Basic Moves (2001-2007)

• The DPEG Change Agents
• Core DPEG members and Basic Moves tutors who,
  from 2005 onwards, emerged as the key change
  agents in local contexts.
• The Basic Moves Change Agents
• Focus of the DPEGs initial CPD change endeavours
• Includes undergraduate physical education
  students at the University of Edinburgh, class
  teachers, active primary schools coordinators and
  primary physical education specialists,
  individual schools and communities, local
  authorities and key national institutions (see
  Figure 1).

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The Nested Nature of the DPEGs Complex
Professional Learning System
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Basic Moves (2001-2007)

• DPEG-CPD became increasingly complex
• Early CPD/ITE work within a more localised
  University and community context
• Soon extended into the wider national arena.
• Various self-organising, emergent, edge of
  chaos and collaborative examples of how these
  nested change agents responded to the planned
  and unplanned professional learning experiences

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Complex Professional Learning and the DPEG

• The DPEG Group
• DPEG development is central to its curriculum,
  pedagogy and CPD endeavours
• Initial funding enabled creation of a small
  staffing base to focus on Basic Moves and work
  with ITE students
• Community-based clubs facilitated shared
  development of Basic Moves and DPEG members
  attended postgraduate motor development courses
• Emergence of a self-organising, collaborative and
  situated learning community

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Complex Professional Learning and the DPEG

• In practice, collaboration provided unsettling
  edge of chaos experiences particularly as group
  members used to working independently and often
  in an isolated and marginalised context
• Also, Basic Moves challenged their (often)
  traditional linear PE pedagogy, so awkward
  meetings ensued as issues debated
• Nevertheless, began to develop a
• shared vision of EYPE based on their prior
  knowledge, developing knowledge and collaborative
  experience
• desire to undertake future curriculum, pedagogy
  and professional learning work as a long term
  change agenda

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Complex Professional Learning and the Basic
Moves Change Agents

• Undergraduate ITE Students
• Difficult to engage as only available students
  enrolled on the B.Ed. (Hons) in Physical
  Education
• Although able to teach PE in primary and
  secondary schools, focus very much on the
  secondary school years
• Basic Moves included but did not fit easily with
  the dominating multi-activity model and national
  certification awards
• For most students, Basic Moves perceived to be a
  marginal and unnecessary part of their
  certification.. marginal participation
• In short term, slowed down the development
  process

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• Class Teachers, Specialists Active School
  Coordinators
• From 2002, complex CPD issues emerged as Basic
  Moves moved beyond the University
• Two distinct CPD approaches Traditional
  top-down national approach collaborative
  local small-scale school-based approach
• Top-down justified given traditionally marginal
  status of EYPE
• Basic Moves National Conference in 2003
• Pilot courses with Active School coordinators
• Basic Moves Training Programme in March 2004.

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• 2 day University-based courses moving beyond
  tips for teachers to challenge perceptions of
  EYPE before offering pedagogical advice
• Overwhelmingly positive evaluations from most
  delegates
• BUT, unclear exactly what was happening in
  schools and communities.. the cascade model?
• AND, the empty vessels, oneoff, off-site
  course delivery was problematic for some
  experienced physical activity professionals,
  particularly primary physical education
  specialists
• Small number (but key stakeholders) overtly
  dissatisfied. 2 formal edge of chaos clear
  the air meetings required

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• Issues raised similar to early DPEG meetings, but
  top-down course did not create context for issues
  to be ironed out
• Participants felt marginalised, rather than
  taking part in full or partial ways as had
  happened with the early DPEG participants
• Therefore, national training successfully raised
  profile of EYPE
• BUT,
• problems inherent in traditional top-down
  approach emerged
• highlighted need for professional learning
  experiences that were more situated,
  collaborative and, critically, differentiated to
  meet the needs of the different groups of
  professionals.

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• Schools, Communities Local Authorities
• Alongside the national training programme, a more
  strategic, collaborative, situated and,
  ultimately, differentiated pilot programme
  introduced in three East Lothian primary schools.
  
• Supportive nested starting point with key
  stakeholders
• BUT, edge of chaos experiences as one head
  teacher withdrew and one specialist was not
  enthused
• DPEG member working on-site offered courses,
  support seminars and collaborative learning
  opportunities.so issues raised resolved though
  immediate and directly meaningful support

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• Building on national and local experiences, a
  Basic Moves tutor programme was introduced in
  2005
• Aimed to create a network to deliver and support
  Basic Moves within their own local authorities.
• Moved Basic Moves in a collaborative direction
  with leadership and ownership of developments
  distributed across the range of tutors in their
  own local authorities
• DPEG became engaged with multiple and overlapping
  nested communities from parents to directors of
  education

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Expansion of Basic Moves Professional Development
Structures

• Consequently, following rapid, chaotic national
  expansion, localised Basic Moves Learning
  Communities emerged across Scotland and England.
  
• Local authority projects emerged and evolved in
  different ways to fit local aspirations and needs
• Some authorities, even with tutors in place,
  rejected Basic Moves for a host of different
  reasons which include specialist teacher
  perceptions, finance and conflicting interest.
• Nevertheless, the tutor programme over the years
  symbolises the ways in which collaborative
  structures support the development of more
  sustainable learning communities

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Complex Traditional Forms of CPD
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Conclusion

• In parallel with the Curriculum Pedagogy change
  efforts, the first phase of the DPEG CPD Project
  has employed a number of different professional
  learning approaches
• Traditional top-down CPD courses
• Creation of emergent bottom-up self-organising
  learning communities.
• However, during the phase, gradual move away from
  traditional top down , empty vessel
  approaches which proved to
• bring about superficial and chaotic change
• alienate, and potentially upset, many individuals
  
• .

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Conclusion

• As a result
• The DPEG CPD efforts have shifted towards
  experiences based on collaborative and complexity
  driven principles emergence, self-organisation,
  connectivity, collaboration and edge of chaos
• Appear to be providing a more viable and engaging
  means of sustaining learning communities
• As such, we believe this complex approach has
  started to make a significant impact on changing
  the nature of EYPE in both local and broader
  contexts. and is now the cornerstone of our move
  towards a National Primary CPD Programme in
  Phase 2 (2006-2011)
• .