Personal and social development in physical education: a systematic review

In response to a world-wide survey of school physical education (PE), Hardman et al. (2013) noted that along with motor development, physical activity and health promotion, personal and social development is one of the most... [ view full abstract ]

In response to a world-wide survey of school physical education (PE), Hardman et al. (2013) noted that along with motor development, physical activity and health promotion, personal and social development is one of the most frequently cited aims in European PE programs. In a world that is rapidly changing, children in both primary and secondary school can indeed benefit from developing a range of personal and social skills in PE, such as positive peer relationship skills, prosocial behaviors (e.g., respect and responsibility), leadership skills, and problem-solving skills (e.g., Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, 2006; Weiss, 2011). Yet, while the development of personal and social skills seems a widely-accepted goal of physical education, research on this topic is less well developed, i.e., the number of publications is relatively low and this literature is fragmented in terms of terminology and the methods used. Moreover, PE teachers seem to struggle with the realization of personal and social goals in their lessons (e.g., Jacobs, Knoppers, and Webb, 2013). Hence, a systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of the existing literature on this topic. PE and sport programs designed to promote children’s personal and social development were evaluated with regard to teaching strategies, intended program outcomes, contextual assets, and evaluation and implementation variables. The review provides insight into the relevance, possibilities and challenges that come with teaching personal and social skills in PE lessons, and identifies research gaps and suggestions for future research. The topic of this presentation relates to the sub-theme “innovative perspectives on physical education” as well as to the sub-theme of “empowering practitioners and supporting professional learning”.