The implementaton of revised physical education syllabus: circumstances, rewards and costs

This study is concerned with the particular circumstances, personal rewards and costs which Irish post-primary principals and physical education teachers identify as affecting the implementation of the revised junior cycle physical education syllabus and in the future revised senior cycle physical education and new Leaving Certificate physical education. The concepts of the ‘local context of implementation’ (Kirk and Macdonald, 2001) and ‘zones of enactment’ (Spillane, 1999) are utilised to illustrate those factors that impact on decisions made to embrace revised curriculum. Qualitative data is reported from questionnaires returned by school principals (n=417) and physical education teachers (n=405). Using the constant comparison method, four major categories were identified – ‘provision’, ‘curriculum’, ‘training’ and ‘communication’. This paper focuses on the ‘curriculum’ category and the related sub-categories of student-related issues, overcrowded curriculum, examinable physical education, examples of current physical education provision and primary physical education. Related quantitative data from the questionnaires are also reported.