Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education

ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rasp21

School physical education and teacher education

edited by Ann Macphail and Hal A. Lawson, London, Routledge, 2020, 210
pp., US $128.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9780367352462

Juliandi, Arief Abdul Malik & Masri

To cite this article: Juliandi, Arief Abdul Malik & Masri (2022): School physical education
and teacher education, Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, DOI:
10.1080/25742981.2022.2070028

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2022.2070028

Published online: 29 Apr 2022.

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CURRICULUM STUDIES IN HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

BOOK REVIEW

School physical education and teacher education, edited by Ann Macphail and Hal
A. Lawson, London, Routledge, 2020, 210 pp., US $128.00 (hardback), ISBN:
9780367352462

What are we reading?

School Physical Education and Teacher Education, edited by Ann Macphail and Hal
A. Lawson, two prominent scholars in the studies of both physical education (PE) and phys-
ical education teacher education (PETE), is a timely edited collection. Drawing on an inter-
national-comparative perspective, each chapter identifies, describes and engages with ‘Grand
Challenges’ in PE and PETE and in doing so illuminates ‘dramatic and somewhat variable
changes underway in nations around the world’ (p. 2, italic as in original). In her foreword,
Doune Macdonald notes that the book is ‘both ambitious and ground-breaking’ (p. viii) for its
framing of ‘Grand Challenges’ in in PE and PETE and its attempts to not only articulate these
challenges but to also offer solutions. In her words, ‘grand challenges’ are ‘difficult, important
and crystallizing problems which invite global and collaborative solutions’ (p. viii).

Why ‘School physical education and teacher education’?

The authors of the book propose a notion of curriculum redesign within a global collaborative
work in PE. In pinpointing a shift from a national to a global approach to redesign PE curri-
culum, the authors make importance suggestions for more equitable outcomes for children
and young people in PE contexts, as well as beginner and experienced educators as key sta-
keholders in PE futures. Refreshingly, the book takes an appreciative approach to grand chal-
lenges by offering success stories from various contexts within a global comparative lens.
Another strength of the book includes the examples of solid and dynamic collaborations
between teacher education programs and exemplary school physical education programs.
As reflected from the backgrounds of the contributors, who are experts and experienced prac-
titioners in PE and PETE, the chapters generate useful knowledge for other fellow scholars,
researchers, teachers, teacher educators and stakeholders, as well as highlight further colla-
borative research and development. Each chapter presents plausible alternatives and ratio-
nales in the context of specific national and local circumstances. These chapters signal that
the task ahead – which begins right now – will require collaborative action from key stake-
holders (educators and teacher educators) on a global scale. The book is an essential
reading for those whose interest and specialty are in PE and PETE studies, particularly for
readers of Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education (CSHPE), since it explores
curriculum reform within the PETE context. The book comprises 16 chapters, beginning with
an introductory chapter and ending with two concluding chapters from each editor. The core
points of the book are the 13 chapters (Chapters 2–14) that address 13 ‘grand challenges’
authored by prominent PE and PETE scholars and practitioners from diverse nations world-
wide. Although the contributors are dominated by those from the Western countries, particu-
larly in two territories, namely, Europe and America, the book also provides global
perspectives on PETE curriculum redesign from countries in the Asia Pacific region,
namely Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The grand challenges, here, serve as ‘a unifier
and rallying mechanism’ (p. 6). The challenges covered within the book include aims and
2 BOOK REVIEW

outcomes, standards-based curricular reform, alignment and coherence, innovation, interdis-

ciplinary, professional socialisation, cultural competence, digital age, PE school curriculum,
research and development, evidence-based decision-making, professional development and
public policy. While the edited collection is not divided into parts that are thematically con-
nected, it is still organised in an accessible and readable way, particularly in covering the 13
‘grand challenges’. That said, from a reader’s perspective, the 16-chapter volume could have
benefitted from a clearer delineation of chapters that focus on PE in general and those focus-
ing on PETE more specifically.

What are we most interested in?

Given our own research interests, the contributions specific to the challenge of innovation
and the digital age were of particular interest to us (Malik & Nur, 2020; Nur, Malik, Budi,
Arif, & Ardha, 2021). In particular, Chapter 9 by Armour, Goodyear and Sandford provides
challenges and roles of PE and PETE in empowering young people in the digital age. They
urge readers to recognise the importance of digital literacy for PE teachers, the educational
potential of digital health technologies and social media sites, and suggest that educational
approaches should be co-constructed together with young people. The challenge of cultural
competence in Chapter 8 by Oliver et al. is also of interest to us. They introduce an interesting
approach called the ‘Activist Approach’ to teach and develop PE students’ cultural compe-
tence. While the approach to working with young people is still in its infancy, we are starting
to see people around the world implement this approach in a variety of settings in order to
better meet the diverse needs of young people.

New orientations for inquiry

In general, this volume serves as a platform for additional discussions and debates in CSHPE.
For instance, the book raises questions on the roles of PE teachers in three aspects, namely,
teaching PE for all students, teaching PE for examination, and being school sport coach. The
book is organised in such a way that readers can dip in and out of different chapters based on
their interests. It also identifies further global collaborative works in PE and PETE studies. As
McPhail and Lawson state in the introduction
to address this [gap between recommended practices and policies and what happens in the
day-to-day realities of schools], we need to stop working in isolation and work with, and
learn from, each other, while remaining mindful of systematic differences visible nationally
and internationally. (p. 9)
This book is a unique and welcomed challenge to readers and the larger field of PE and PETE
to rethink their approaches to contemporary ‘Grand Challenges’ and in ways that account for
the importance of collaborative solutions and global perspectives in reimagining their own
contexts, as well as an avenue to new forms of inquiry in CSHPE.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Fikri Yanda at Universitas Pendidikan Indo-
nesia for the initial reading and editing of the manuscript.
 CURRICULUM STUDIES IN HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION 3

References
Malik, A. A., & Nur, L. (2020). The effectiveness of Using computer integrated anthropometry and vertical
jump as measuring device. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 8(5), 161–
165. doi:10.13189/saj.2020.080501
Nur, L., Malik, A. A., Budi, D. R., Arif, M., & Ardha, A. (2021). Comparative analysis of Movement intensities
in students using polar global positioning system (GPS): A pilot study in Physical Education learning.
International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 9(2), 203–208. doi:10.13189/saj.2021.
090206

Juliandi
Physical Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
juliandi95@upi.edu http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6474-512X

Arief Abdul Malik

Physical Education, Universitas Siliwangi, Tasikmalaya, Indonesia
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3484-2850

Masri
Physical Education, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8978-622X
© 2022 Juliandi Yunus
https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2022.2070028