Research on Refining the Kindergarten Physical Education Curriculum Underpinned by Fostering Preschoolers' Physical Literacy in China

Liqiong DUAN

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

Physical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding that provide preschoolers with the foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity. The preschool stage is the initial stage of the development of children's physical literacy. Kindergarten physical education is a crucial way to foster preschoolers' physical literacy. Constructing a systematic physical education curriculum aiming at fostering preschoolers' physical literacy can help promote the reform of kindergarten physical education curriculum, improve the quality of kindergarten physical education, lay a solid foundation for preschoolers' physical literacy development, provide a model for developing kindergarten physical education curriculum, and expand the concept to a more diverse cultural environment. Based on Taylor's "Objective Model" and movement development theories, a systematic kindergarten physical education curriculum was constructed according to the ABC model. Quantitative methods and qualitative methods were used together. Documentary analysis, interview, and observation were employed to construct a systematic physical education curriculum underpinned by fostering preschoolers' physical literacy in SUN kindergarten in China, to reveal the features of each curriculum components. Then a quasi-experiment was carried out to show the effect of the new curriculum on preschoolers and teachers. Three stages of the study and the results are as follows: The first stage is to describe the old physical education curriculum in the kindergarten. The results indicate that the old physical education curriculum in the kindergarten is imperfect and the components of the physical education curriculum are vague. The second stage is to construct a systematic physical education curriculum based on the old one. The results indicate that the kindergarten physical education curriculum underpinned by fostering preschoolers' physical literacy is a system of five interrelated components. Specifically (1) The curriculum philosophy contains three parts including the value of physical activities, the goal of PE, and the duties of different stakeholders, to guarantee the environment of fostering preschoolers' physical literacy in kindergarten. (2) The curriculum goals focus on three dimensions of physical literacy, which are delineated from physical competence, affective, and cognitive parts in detail. (3) The curriculum content is selected based on the three dimensions of the goals and originate from preschoolers' movement experiences. (4) The curriculum implementation emphasizes the principle of creating a mastery motivational climate in relation to TARGET class structure to achieve maximum teaching and effective learning. (5) The combination of formative evaluation and summative evaluation is an effective strategy evaluating preschoolers' physical literacy development. The third stage is to do a quasi-experiment to show the effect of the new physical education curriculum. The results indicate that the new curriculum has a positive effect on preschoolers' development and teachers' development. Specifically (1) Preschoolers in the experimental group made significant progress in physical fitness development in total, especially in the dimensions of Horizontal jumping, Throwing, and Balancing. (2) Preschoolers in the experimental group made significant progress in basic motor competencies development of Object control and Self-movement, especially in the dimensions of Catching, Rolling, Throwing, and Dribbling. (3) Preschoolers could not make accurate judgments about their physical competence. (4) Class teachers in the experimental group made significant progress in making accurate judgments about preschoolers' physical competence in total, especially in dimensions of Tying shoelace, Climbing, Running, and Skipping. (5) The PE teacher in the experimental group made progress in professional development.

Abstract:

Physical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding that provide preschoolers with the foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity. The preschool stage is the initial stage of the development of children's physical literacy. Kindergarten physical education is a crucial way to foster preschoolers' physical literacy. Constructing a systematic physical education curriculum aiming at fostering preschoolers' physical literacy can help promote the reform of kindergarten physical education curriculum, improve the quality of kindergarten physical education, lay a solid foundation for preschoolers' physical literacy development, provide a model for developing kindergarten physical education curriculum, and expand the concept to a more diverse cultural environment. Based on Taylor's "Objective Model" and movement development theories, a systematic kindergarten physical education curriculum was constructed according to the ABC model. Quantitative methods and qualitative methods were used together. Documentary analysis, interview, and observation were employed to construct a systematic physical education curriculum underpinned by fostering preschoolers' physical literacy in SUN kindergarten in China, to reveal the features of each curriculum components. Then a quasi-experiment was carried out to show the effect of the new curriculum on preschoolers and teachers. Three stages of the study and the results are as follows: The first stage is to describe the old physical education curriculum in the kindergarten. The results indicate that the old physical education curriculum in the kindergarten is imperfect and the components of the physical education curriculum are vague. The second stage is to construct a systematic physical education curriculum based on the old one. The results indicate that the kindergarten physical education curriculum underpinned by fostering preschoolers' physical literacy is a system of five interrelated components. Specifically (1) The curriculum philosophy contains three parts including the value of physical activities, the goal of PE, and the duties of different stakeholders, to guarantee the environment of fostering preschoolers' physical literacy in kindergarten. (2) The curriculum goals focus on three dimensions of physical literacy, which are delineated from physical competence, affective, and cognitive parts in detail. (3) The curriculum content is selected based on the three dimensions of the goals and originate from preschoolers' movement experiences. (4) The curriculum implementation emphasizes the principle of creating a mastery motivational climate in relation to TARGET class structure to achieve maximum teaching and effective learning. (5) The combination of formative evaluation and summative evaluation is an effective strategy evaluating preschoolers' physical literacy development. The third stage is to do a quasi-experiment to show the effect of the new physical education curriculum. The results indicate that the new curriculum has a positive effect on preschoolers' development and teachers' development. Specifically (1) Preschoolers in the experimental group made significant progress in physical fitness development in total, especially in the dimensions of Horizontal jumping, Throwing, and Balancing. (2) Preschoolers in the experimental group made significant progress in basic motor competencies development of Object control and Self-movement, especially in the dimensions of Catching, Rolling, Throwing, and Dribbling. (3) Preschoolers could not make accurate judgments about their physical competence. (4) Class teachers in the experimental group made significant progress in making accurate judgments about preschoolers' physical competence in total, especially in dimensions of Tying shoelace, Climbing, Running, and Skipping. (5) The PE teacher in the experimental group made progress in professional development.

Keywords

Physical literacy, Physical education, Physical education curriculum, Kindergarten, Preschooler.

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 19. 6. 2019

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 30. 9. 2019
• Supervisor: doc. PaedDr. Miluše Rašková, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Education

Doctoral programme / field:
Education / Education