A Partnership Aimed at Improving Health and Physical Education at a Rural School: Impacts on Pupils, University Students, Teachers and Academics

Abstract

Challenges and benefits arose when a rural school and a neighbouring university formed a partnership with the aim of improving the school's Health and Physical Education (HPE program. The HPE programs were enhanced through two joint research projects. The first research project had two facets, including an evidence-based curriculum form Physical Education in the school, and a remediation program for children identified through the coordination testing process. The second research project was designed to investigate students' Health Education knowledge and explore any behavioural changes in and around nutritional choices. Both the projects were conducted as mutually productive partnerships within the school, resulting in beneficial changes for the school, the university and for the multiple participants. For the school, the Physical Education curriculum and pedagogies were modified and for students identified as requiring remediation, a multi-partnered intervention program was implemented. Students, teachers, parents and pre service teacher education students benefited from the movement intervention program. The health education curriculum was enhanced when the school developed a social marketing approach to facilitate health-related decisions for pupils, teachers and ancillary staff. The university changed their pre-service teacher education curriculum, teaching methods, and achieved stronger research based outcomes by partnering with the school across both projects.