Eighteen years ago, Penney and Chandler (2000) argued the need for a reorientation and restructuring of physical education (PE) “to address educational needs and interests relevant to the 21st century”. In asking what were the visions of and for the future in PE at that time, a series of questions emerged to guide those invested in the continuing professional development (CPD) of PE teachers and others who serve the profession, and indeed Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE). Drawing on Bernstein (2000), we now ask: What approaches and skills do teachers (still and now) need to develop? What relations do they need to facilitate with colleagues, individuals and other organisations involved in the provision of PE and sport for young people? And, how can professional associations respond when their traditional clientele regard other organisations as able to provide ‘better’ CPD in this de-centred PE curriculum and pedagogy market?
This paper offers a sociology of education lens for examining the changing role of PE professional associations and the challenges they face to stay relevant, retain a leadership profile in the field and stay ‘connected’ in times of increasing ‘alternative’ CPD provision, particularly with proliferating digital professional learning networks via subscribed on-line learning and social media. In our role as National Board members of the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER), we share how our position as the peak Australian association for HPE teachers has shifted in these times, how we are recontextualising knowledges across contexts, and changing our voice and message, to respond to these market changes and continue to position ACHPER as a recognised leader in (H)PE CPD.
References
Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, Symbolic Control and Identity: Theory, research, critique. London: Routledge.
Penney, D. & Chandler, T. (2000) Physical Education: What Future(s)?, Sport, Education and Society, 5 (1).
