Academy insights: An evaluation of the Health and Physical Education Teaching Excellence Program

The Teaching Excellence Program (TEP) delivered by the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership (Academy), is a 12-month professional learning experience, grounded in 8 key discipline areas. The program draws on practitioner inquiry, teacher agency, reflective practice and contemporary, evidence-informed research. Open to Victorian government, Catholic and independent schools, the TEP is Australia’s first advanced professional learning program for highly skilled teachers.

Researchers from Monash and Victoria University completed a collaborative and multi-method evaluation of the TEP, with teachers from the Health and Physical Education (HPE) discipline, across 2023. The evaluation focused on HPE teacher experience and impact from participation in the TEP alongside exploring the strengths and critical features of the TEP.

Overall, the TEP was identified as a unique and transformative experience for HPE teachers, which provided opportunities for teachers to experience professional growth, enact reflexive and responsive pedagogies and, rediscover purpose and passion for teaching.

Key insights:

The evaluation identified, for HPE teachers, the following notable strengths.

The TEP: 

• validated HPE teachers’ identities as empowered educators in their schools
• supported HPE teachers to become advocates for the discipline.

The TEP also prompted HPE teachers to value:

• professional growth
• self-reflection
• student-centred approaches
• empathetic approaches.

Participating in the TEP has fostered a renewed passion in teachers for the role HPE should play in schools and society. When combined with the enhancement in knowledge and pedagogy developed within the TEP, teachers have felt more willing and able to promote the importance of HPE in schools. Participants also identified that sharing the learnings from TEP in their schools has assisted in overcoming stereotypes associated with HPE, including ’HPE is not an academic subject‘ and ’we just play games in PE‘. TEP has played a pivotal role in developing confidence in HPE teachers to become advocates for the discipline.

’This year, because I’ve been in TEP, and it’s given me opportunities, 
it’s kind of given me that voice.’ (P-12 school teacher)

 Following on from the above point, the findings identify that the TEP has validated HPE teachers, allowing them to claim their identity as an expert ‘educator’ and ‘teacher’ in their schools and empowered the use of a strengths-based approach to build and reflect on practice. This has been achieved through active professional learning sessions with knowledgeable experts, which allow for HPE teachers to justify new pedagogical approaches and apply theoretical ideas in context. Additionally, HPE teachers within the TEP have felt confident to share their learnings within their school communities and seek professional growth beyond their schools.

’This is an area of education that I want to continue to explore and grow in that area and 
continue to support fellow teachers and colleagues in elevating teaching in Victoria.’ 
(Secondary school teacher)

The TEP demonstrated to HPE teachers what was possible in terms of ongoing professional learning and growth, compared to once-off professional development sessions which were often the only option available. Teachers highlighted the importance of being able participate in professional learning which they were able to have agency over the focus areas. This led to the HPE teachers being able to identify the value in pursing professional growth through a collaborative, relevant and sustained process.

’I needed something to help motivate me. When I came across the TEP, 
I thought that it would be a really good place to be around people who are inspiring as well, 
and who all have a common goal to be better HPE teachers.’ (Secondary school teacher)

The learning experiences provided within the TEP have promoted HPE teachers to develop an understanding of different ways to shift teaching practice away from teacher-centred and towards student-centred approaches. These experiences have empowered teachers to explore and model new ways of supporting learning in HPE, that deviate beyond traditional approaches which have typically characterised and constrained HPE pedagogy.

’Being in this program has allowed me to understand that there is more flexibility 
than I thought in teaching PE. And that rigidity can move away. And I do have a bit 
of power to change lessons more, to change units more, and allow more student voice, 
to really create their own pathway.’ (Secondary school teacher)

Teachers highlighted that participation in the TEP played a role in shaping empathetic approaches in their teaching practice. This included heightened self-awareness and critical reflection on teaching approaches and language used in classes, through a lens of enhanced student engagement. This shift has demonstrated a commitment to fostering a classroom environment which encourages student dialogue, critical thinking and a deeper engagement with HPE content.

’I think about the things that I say, and how I say it, the language that I use, 
and the impact that it is going to have on the kids.’ (Secondary school teacher)

The practitioner inquiry component of the TEP, played a crucial role in enhancing the teaching practice of HPE teachers through focusing their development within the context of their classroom. The inquiry empowered teachers to examine and pursue meaningful and evidence-informed change in their teaching pedagogy through cycles of action, evaluation and reflection. HPE teachers highlighted the transformative nature that the practitioner inquiry had on not only teaching practice, but also student experience and outcomes in their classrooms and the wider school community. Changes to inclusive practices, integrated technology use and student agency have occurred in HPE classrooms across the state as a result of the practitioner inquiry, improving student experience and outcomes.

’A really very purposeful, deliberate, targeted and impactful approach to learning. 
That’s been the highlight for me.’ (Secondary school teacher)

The TEP has encouraged HPE teachers to reflect deeply on their practice, explore pedagogical possibilities and develop evidence-based approaches. This has ultimately transformed and enriched teaching and learning practices in HPE classrooms, improved student outcomes, for TEP teachers across the state. In some instances impact has gone beyond the HPE classroom and into the wider school community. The findings of the evaluation highlight the potential of the TEP to serve as a unique, transformative and crucial resource for HPE teachers across Victoria.