The University of the South Pacific teamed up with Sport Matters to deliver the region’s first online course on Quality Physical Education in the Pacific.
In November, the University of the South Pacific, in partnership with Sport Matters, delivered a four-week online course titled ‘Quality Physical Education in the Pacific’.
The course was offered as a free Massive Online Open Course – more commonly referred to as a MOOC – which had been designed for teachers and coaches across the Pacific region to better understand the basics of Physical Education and the subsequent health benefits of increased physical activity for all students.
This was a first of its kind in the region, specifically directed at Pacific participants, and now completed has been assessed as being a great success with 400 participants from 24 countries logging on to learn and engage.
Four Pacific mentors were recruited to oversee the coursework and its completion – Suzie Schuster from Samoa, Debi Futter-Puati from USP in the Cook Islands with Talemo Waqa and Biu Colati both from Fiji – with facilitators from Fiji and Australia managing the course and designing the curriculum including Dr Aue Te Ava from USP’s Labasa Campus in Fiji, Dr Dean Dudley from Macquarie University, and Sport Matters’ CEO Jackie Lauff.
Suzie Schuster said she had been impressed with the level of engagement and thought while Biu Colati was encouraged by change in perceptions he noted from the participants.
“It was an informative journey for me as the senior education officer in charge of PE, to be able to read what teachers, parents and youths think of PE (and) it was encouraging to read how their minds changed after the 4 weeks of the MOOC,” he said.
Under the supervision of the four mentors, the participants were provided with content on how to teach inclusive, flexible and interactive lessons for all types of students with tips for teachers on how to adapt and modify their lessons to cater for students of all learning abilities.
Topics covered ranged from what constitutes quality physical education, understanding health and good physical activity and designing quality and inclusive physical education lessons.
The course had been tailored with a Pacific focus around culture, traditional sports and games and is seen as a major step towards a new era of professional development in education.
USP has also introduced new PE courses for 2021 as a part of their degrees, all offered in a blended format – on campus and online – for those students across the university’s 12 Member countries looking to further their professional development in physical education.
Which all bodes well for the development and capacity building of those involved not only in teaching, but coaching and instructing children in sport and physical activity in the Pacific.
For further information on the new physical education courses at USP visit: Physical Education (usp.ac.fj)