Physical Education (PE) has become an increasingly complex learning environment. Prior research emphasized the propitious role of PE in teaching personal and social responsibility, skills, physical activity, and health. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the integration of Social Emotional Learning (SEL; CASEL, 2020) concepts and activities through mainstream PE classes, which utilized the teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR; Hellison, 2011) framework, national and state standards, and an established school curriculum. The study aimed to examine the effect of intentionally implementing SEL in PE from a practitioner perspective and gathered feedback from students about the effect and class design. Teacher Action Research (Pine, 2009) was conducted over one semester, in which twenty-four lessons were implemented in an 8th-grade class in a Boston area public middle school. This period of adolescent development is often considered a complex and challenging time due to a combination of complex, overlapping determinants (Hall, 1904).
Observations were made, student voices provided feedback and input on the class design, and additional sources of qualitative data were collected and triangulated for rigor.
The findings of this study shed light on the inclusion of SEL in PE classes, identifying mechanisms for facilitating their delivery and promoting meaningful engagement among students. The research also provided valuable insights into student development, personal growth, and refined methods of practice for the researcher.
Through intentional integration of SEL in PE, this study contributes to the development of more inclusive and meaningful experiences for all students, aligning with the goal of fostering physically literate individuals who possess the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity. The insights provide a foundation for further exploration of SEL implementation in PE settings and offer practical implications for physical education teachers and coaches seeking to enhance their curriculum and support students' holistic development.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/46686 |
| Date | 07 September 2023 |
| Creators | Gonzales, David John |
| Contributors | McCarthy, John |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | Attribution 4.0 International, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
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