PE at Home: keeping the ‘E’ in PE while home-schooling during a pandemic

Abstract

Background: The world experienced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in school closures across the globe in early 2020. Schools pivoted to remote delivery of learning using a variety of online and offline resources. PE is vital in providing motor development opportunities for children and it is essential to ensure that the provision of quality PE experiences is continued, even in the context of a pandemic. It was in this context that the PE at Home lessons were developed. Purpose: This study examined teachers' and parents’ experiences of using the PE at Home resource and contributes to documenting the PE home-learning experience and can inform how the education system might respond and incorporate remote teaching into the future. Methods: A mixed-methods study utilising online surveys with 29 teachers and 173 parents/guardians and online interviews with five teachers, five parents and seven resource developers was undertaken. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed while qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach (Braun, V., and V. Clarke. 2006. “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology.” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101). Findings: The PE at Home lessons had excellent viewership with over 27,000 Facebook and 937 website views. Three themes (i) ensuring the ‘E’ remained in PE; (ii) home-schooling and physical education; (ii) and context and relatability were developed from the data. While some parents demonstrated that their knowledge of PE was that it consisted of physical activity, other parents along with teachers and developers reflected on the educative component of the lessons. The PE at Home lessons provided teachers with a resource to share with parents to support parents home-school during Covid-19 school closures. An Irish resource featuring Irish children and aligned with the Irish curriculum was seen as a strength by both parents and teachers. Conclusion: The PE at Home lessons address the teaching and learning of PE in multiple contexts, particularly in an online environment, and they can be used in multiple ways to promote learning.